Unsung Heroes
by Krescent Wolf
Summary: Before there was a loudmouthed, orange clad boy ninja, before there was a red-eyed avenger...There was a war between The Cloud and the Leaf. It was a war that much of history would rather forget. Sadly,forgotten too, were the heroes that fought it.
1. Chapter 1: Reminiscence

_We won..._

The tree's blurred passed the small troupe of ninjas as they sped through the thick forest on the borders of Fire Country.

_That's right...just two years ago we beat a legendary demon. Well, that's what the world thinks anyway. Yes... we won... and lost._

The leader, a kunoichi dressed in a deep crimson keikogi signaled one of her followers and he darted off to the left, vanishing into the darkness of the forest. They were chasing a rather tricky prey. A spy sent across the border for one reason and one reason only.

_Yes... we lost. Our great leader, Yondaime Hokage, had to sacrifice himself in order to stop the great beast._ The kunoichi paused, signaling to her right as she came to a stop on a branch._ It's really easy to say that we lost our leader. But it's really hard for anyone who didn't know him to truly understand what it meant...to lose the Yondaime._ There came a rustling of the bushes a short distance ahead of her, and then a loud grunt, probably of surprise. It was followed shortly by a loud clang of metal striking metal...and a muted thud.

Only a few seconds later, the kunoichi's two companions reappeared beside her, kneeling. One had in his hand the object they were after. A scroll detailing the military procedures they were to use. Something like that would be of great import to their enemies. She nodded slightly, taking the scroll in her hands before turning to move back to their encampment.

_He....Yondaime was an inspiration to us. He was charismatic. He was strong. He was kind. He was like the father many ninja of our generation lacked._ Green leaves became a mute, jaded, blur as the three ninja moved. _He led us through the war with the Iwa-nin... a war that had taken such a toll on the lives of both the Konoha and Iwa nin, that we were forced to send genin into battle. I was there, alongside the likes of the Copy Nin, and the still-Jounin Yondaime._

The kunoichi came to halt, and the two behind her did the same in almost complete syncronicity. They were surrounded by no less than twelve stark white masks painted with various blues and reds....One Anbu stepped forward, "The old oak weathers the coming storm."

The kunoichi smiled underneath her ash black half-mask. "Its leaves fall like a rain of blades." A single nod came from the masked warrior.

She took the chance to glance over her shoulder, the Anbu corps. were gone. When she righted her gaze back in front of her... so was the single Anbu that had spoken.

_Don't get me wrong...Sandaime is a great man. It's because of him that we were able to come to terms with the Iwa-nin. It was because of him that we were able to enjoy the sparse peace while it lasted. But he wasn't the Yondaime. He couldn't make us believe in a better life simply by standing among us. Yondaime could. He gave us hope and warmth when the world was dark and cold._

The three moved forward about a hundred yards more...and dropped into a hustling encampment full of Shinobi... all wearing the same spiral-leaf headband. "Welcome back Mitsuki-dono. The mission?" It was an older shinobi, who seemed to be dressed more for diplomacy than war.

"...was a success." She tossed him the small scroll.

"To be expected of Konoha's Seal Mistress..." The old shinobi smiled as he deftly grabbed the scroll...

Mitsuki sighed... "You know I hate that name Soja."

The old man, Soja, chuckled. "But of course... that's why I use it." He quickly tucked the scroll away and, as he did so, four Shinobi in Chuunin jackets appeared beside him. "I'll be taking this back to Hokage-sama then...I'll let him know of your good work, Mitsuki-dono."

_And only two years ago, today, the world seemed to become infinitely darker and colder, when the Kyuubi-no-Kitsune came rampaging through Fire Country. No one knew what had angered the Kyuubi so...nor why it chose Konoha as its target. I remember that day well, as I should, being on the front-lines fighting the beast. The demon was impossibly big, his bright red chakra flaring to impossibly high levels. His tails demolished mountains and men with equal prejudice. I still carry, to this day, a burn-scar from that fire-storm chakra that the medic-nins simply couldn't heal. All seemed lost... every jutsu we threw at it, was either ignored or swatted away entirely. I remember as well, when Gamabunta's large form appeared, and Yondaime's figure stood proud atop him. Just his sight gave us hope...gave us the will to stand and keep fighting._  
A gloved hand reached up, and lowered the half-mask, before it moved to her left arm, deftly untying the bracer brandishing Konoha's symbol on it. Moving quietly into a tent, she practically fell into the chair. She took a moment to relax, running her fingers through her long ink-black hair that had been tied back for the mission. There was a stack a paper work on the small folding-desk in front of her that caused her to groan.

"Ahh such weight the commander of the North-East Defense Line must carry." A brown haired man came slowly into her tent, carrying a couple mugs of tea. "Maybe a little drink will help NED-L's commander?"

Mitsuki turned, watching the squinty-eyed man dressed in an all too typical Jounin uniform, and a bandanna with the Konoha hitae-ate sewn into it. "Such a ridiculous name...what are we? Some kind of pin?"

The man chuckled... "It keeps the politicians happy I suppose...they like those sort of things..." He put the tray holding the two mugs down, and offered Mitsuki the first mug.

"Thanks Hirochi." She leaned back, and took in the wafting smell of the tea. Her eyes, which ranged in color from sea-green to cerulean, closed for a moment as she allowed herself to relax. "How were things while we were gone?"

The fox-eyed man smiled... "Quiet... thankfully. The patrols haven't seen a thing... and the Aburame's sentries say the Kumo-nin are staying on their side of _Oka no Kuni_. How long that's going to last.... I can't say."

Mitsuki leaned back, taking a sip of the fragrant liquid. "They've been getting more and more aggressive lately. That last spy was more than likely a Kumo-nin himself."

_But even our great Yondaime was, slowly but surely, being pushed back. Kyuubi's power was just that immense. To be expected of the greatest Tailed-Beast really. I saw it well, I was one of the last to leave, given an order to retreat by Yondaime himself. But I saw. I saw the Copy nin, Yondaime's own student, bring a small bundle to him. I saw him perform some strange seals.... a jutsu I didn't recognize. And I saw...the very spirit of the Kyuubi ripped from it's body and into the bundle which had been layed at the Yondaime's feet. And even as the great fox's body began to turn to ash...I...saw...the Yondaime fall...lifelessly...on Gamabunta's back. After that, I turned, and ran. I didn't want to look back. We won... but the world still seemed infinitely darker._

Mitsuki sighed, turning to the papers on her desk as Hirochi exited the tent. Today was October 10...the second anniversary of Yondaimes death and the defeat of the Kyuubi. But here she was, trying to prevent yet -another- war from breaking out. Her hero had died to give peace to the people...she could do no less.

----------

A/N: So what do you think so far? This is the beginning of my fic based on the Leaf-Cloud war that didn't get much backstory in the Naruto series...I've been out of practice and interest lately, in writing, and this is an attempt to help me get back into it. This was just an introduction, so expect the chapters to get longer ^_^ Also, this story hasn't been beta'd... so forgive me for any grammar errors.... I need to find me a beta reader ^_^;

Oka no Kuni : Country of Hills...I've looked at many maps of Naruto's world and the country that separates Fire and Lightning countries never seems to be named... so I gave it one. If someone finds anything at least halfway official let me know and I'll fix it.

Iwa: Stone

Kumo: Cloud


	2. Chapter 2: Samurai

_The strong live... at the expense of the weak. It's a simple rule really._

For what seemed like the millionth time today, there came another dripping sound. It had just rained, as it often did in the mountainous Lightning Country. If only the cage they'd stuck him in were in better condition.

_Well...it's simple in theory anyway. A master must, by his very definition, be stronger than his servants. Right...You'll have to excuse me if I don't believe that._

There came a shuffling from outside. By the sounds alone, he could tell it was a handful of guards. They'd stuck him in what was effectively a wooden box, reinforced with metal beams, that had some wheels attached to it. And now they'd come to get him.

"Open it..." The words came muffled from the other side of the thick door. The wooden door swung open, blinding him with the early morning light. The figure in the cage could only smirk. In front of him were about ten guards dressed in neutral gray uniforms. Behind them stood a man whose colorful robes, in various blues and purples, would identify him as nobility. However they did little to belie the sheer size of the man who wore them. A thick, stocky trunk...legs as big as some mens' heads...short, plump arms...no neck to speak of...a well oiled mustache, and a ridiculously small toupee that did little to cover up the flabs of flesh on the mans face.

_My 'master,' Katsuri Takeda. A veritable pig in human clothing. The man who looked over the part of Lightning Country that once held my village. Well...until Katsuri decided he needed to replenish his stock of slaves. We aren't, after all, known for our longevity._

Katsuri Takeda was known for many things, most of which wasn't fit for good company, but he was a shrewd man. The latest in a long line of cunning merchants. He kept his face neutral even when his guards flinched back at the smirking, yellow-eyed visage that peered out at them through the darkness. Over twenty chains crisscrossed the short distance between the cages' prisoner and the door; All of them were used, in one fashion or another, to make sure he stayed where he was. "It's time..._Ookami._"

_Slavery is nothing special. It's common here in Lightning Country even for the middle class to own a slave or two. It was frowned upon by the other nations...but that does little here. _

_The 'nobility' are only called that because of either money, or political power. And usually one leads to the other, in whatever order you like. The other nations frown on slavery, but they readily buy up the ore that we slaves are forced to dig up from the hundreds of mountains that dot the Lightning Country landscape. It's just the way things work. Unless your like me..._

"This fight will earn me much prestige..." He said it proudly like he was the one that was going to do the fighting. After all the chains had been undone, the prisoner emerged into the light. His long, unruly black hair waved in the morning breeze. Though it was waist long, it had been tied back from the neck to his waist in a white cloth, with only a small shock of black appearing at the end. That, however, wasn't the defining feature of the yellow-eyed young man. Nor was it the blackened iron collar, that seemed to be made of a single piece of metal, on his neck inscribed with the character 'Ookami' or, wolf. No...it was his left arm. Or rather, lack of. In place of a fleshy appendage was an arm forged from plates of iron and steel that had been grafted onto his shoulder, complete with a five fingered hand.

_I've taken the only 'step-up' available for slaves. I'm a gladiator. My collar carries the inscription for wolf, while the rest of Katsuri's slaves have a collar with the character of 'dog' on them. I guess it was suppose to make me feel 'special.' _

_Riiight... _

_Gladiatorial fights were really nothing more than a farce anyway. Just something else for the 'nobility' to waste their money on. They put us against wild animals, or each other, and bet on everything from who will win to which body part will come off first. That's the better senario. The unlucky ones get matched up with Shinobi. And frankly, we're nothing more than target practice for the Kumo-nin genin. After all it's expressly forbidden to win those matches..._

Katsuri led his entourage of guards, all keeping a wary eye on the metal-armed young man, through a huge pair of gates, painted with the character _Kumo_, or cloud.

_That's right. I suppose my luck has run dry. My match is in none other than Kumogakure itself. But... I have little use for rules, and the paranoid fools guarding me right now know it. They're lucky the only thing keeping me from killing all of them is this collar around my neck. All slave collars are inscribed with a certain keyword. All it takes is a little bit of chakra, and the keyword, and suddenly the slave that angered his master will find himself suspiciously lacking in oxygen. But...If I do get matched against a shinobi...my life is more than likely over with anyway..._

_I suppose some slaves may -still- call me lucky...I can choose how I want to die._

* * *

Each Hidden Village was different. Each 'Kage was different. Many called the Kazekage a coward, afraid of his own son. Many called the Hokage a senile, peace-loving old fool. But no one dared even -think- such things about the Godaime Raikage. Nakamura Tetsuma's rise to the seat of Raikage was well known, both inside his village and out. There was a saying, _'A ladder of corpses.'_ And it was one that fit Tetsuma like a comfortable glove.

The rules defining each village were different too. In _Kirigakure_, for example, the killing of classmates was not only acceptable, but encouraged in tests. In _Kumogakure_, the rule was simple. If you were strong enough to take it, then take it. As a result, the seat of Raikage had been vacated more times than any other village. He was the fifth, and he made sure his subordinates knew why. Rule by fear, or by force. During his rise to the top, there had been a suspicious rise in the number of big-name assassinations in the nobility._ Kumogakure_'s rule of 'If you are strong enough to take it, then take it.' was superceded only by Tetsuma's own personal rule...'Follow me, or fall before me.'

The Raikage cradled his chin in one hand, his other tapping the arm of the chair he sat in, as he bordly watched the gladiators slaughter each other in the mass melee below him.

Kill or be killed...It was a lifestyle that fit the Shinobi world far better, in his opinion, than the lofty ideals of Konoha, or the spartan lifestyle of _Sunagakure_. Especially since the ruling lord of Lightning Country was such a weakling. Typically, if the nation had a Shinobi Village, most military matters were handled there. In effect, the military and the government were 'separate but equal.' It had been that way since the collapse of the three-hundred year old empire that had been built by the samurai warlords of old. The collapse of that empire, and the subsequent splitting of the nations, had given rise to the might of the Shinobi villages. Nowadays 'Samurai' was little more than a fluffy title given the local guard.

But in Lightning Country it was different. The Lightning Lord was a pathetic man, paranoid of his own shadow. But that was why he danced on the Raikages strings. Just the image brought a brief smirk to Tetsuma's face.

There came a collective gasp from the crowd as an iron gate slammed open. The sounds jarred the bored Raikage from his introspective thoughts enough that he straightened and focused on the match. His keen senses also picked up one of the fat nobles sitting in the audience to his left practically preening his feathers. A gladiator, dressed far better than most in the now paused mass melee, came charging out of the dark corridor.

He was dressed in a white robe, with a golden dragons motif sewn into it. Bound at the waist with a jade colored sash, the gladiator only wore one side of it correctly, the left side of the robe, sleeve and all, pooled at his waist. Wearing the robe in such a manner made visible the simple, if well kept, white breastplate that he wore. Together with the jade colored shin and armguards he was practically the image of the samurai warlords of old. A 'theme' no doubt created by his master. Were it not for the strange metal arm grafted to his left shoulder, Tetsuma might have thought him something from an old history scroll.

The crowd was cheering wildly as the gladiator, armed with a green-shafted spear that was adorned with red feathers near the blade, and a metal crescent-moon on the rear end of the weapon, charged toward the melee. It was mildly entertaining, Tetsuma noticed, that the slaves who had previously been slaughtering each other had banded together like a small army at the sight of the new combatant.

The Raikage typically found the slave-matches to be dull and uninteresting. Fights between the weak did little for him. But this gladiator had piqued his interest. He had plunged into the group of fifty or so remaining gladiators and was cleaving through them like a freshly forged blade. "Gashir..."

A tall shinobi, dressed in the typical garments of a Kumo Jounin save for the white cloth wrapped around his head, over which he lopsidedly wore his Kumo Hitae-ate, appeared and quickly moved to bow before his Kage.

"Who is that one?" Tetsuma motioned to the gladiator who had quickly reduced the numerous remaining gladiators by at least half.

Gashir turned, glanced at the gladiator, and lifted the clipboard he'd had tucked under one arm. After leafing through a few pages he found what he sought. "Azaii Nagi. The 'Ookami.' He's one of Katsuri Takeda's slaves. Apparently he's made a name for himself in the smaller matches. He's the favorite to win the melee and move on to the Freedom Gauntlet."

The Raikage had to keep himself from snorting in disgust. The 'Freedom Gauntlet.' A single slave was pit against a Chuunin level Kumo-nin team, with the promise that if he beat them, he'd be freed. It was a method to cull the stronger, more popular slaves, so they or their masters didn't get too full of themselves. The slaves knew it, their masters knew it. But it still went on.

The Raikage was as cunning as he was powerful. The rule he gave his men was simple. Follow his orders and you were rewarded. Go against him and die. In essence, power was rewarded as long as his subordinates knew their place. He squinted his eyes, watching the gladiator stalking the handful of his opponents that weren't dead or maimed yet. "Cancel the Freedom Gauntlet."

Gashir did a double take, turning to his leader. "B-but sir..."

"I don't care what you replace it with...But make sure Katsuri brings that slave to me by days end." The Raikage smirked, leaning back and lacing his fingers over his stomach.

_Yes...he'll fit perfectly into the plan._

* * *

Thus ends the second intro chapter. A cookie for anyone who thinks they can (properly) identify the Raikage's aid. :) I basically wanted people to get a feel for Kumogakure and Lightning Country in general in this part... since there is little to no info on any of it. Anyway, tell me what you all think, constructive criticism is always welcome...

Until next time

--KW


	3. Chapter 3: Escalation

He tapped the large wooden folding fan into the gloved palm of his hand. His amber colored eyes were studiously glued to a large map detailing the northeastern section of Fire Country, Hill Country, and Lightning Country. The rythmic tapping of his fan was the only sound in the otherwise silent tent. He wore a bronze colored metal Shinobi helmet emblazoned with Konoha's spiral-leaf symbol...the kind that had been made famous in Konoha by the Nidaime Hokage. There was a rumor even Jiraiya, one of the Three Sannin, wore one. His hair was cut short, except for his long bangs which fell down either side of his face, past his chin, in whisps of the mahogany-color that his hair took on.

Tap. Tap.Tap. Stop.

"She's late!" The aggravated growl didn't come from him, but rather from a Shinobi sitting in one corner of the fire-lit tent. This particular shinobi had a red arrow mark in the center of his forehead, easily visible from under his short, spiky, black bangs. He wore a gray pair of pants, of which the left pant leg was cut short at the knee, while the right was normal length. A black cloth vest made visible the fishnet shirt he wore under it, as well as the Konoha Hitae-ate that he wore around his neck. At his feet was a large brown and white furred dog who, unlike his master, was pleasantly relaxed.

"Hmph...You'd think we'd be used to it by now..." The gruff words came from an older man, whose bald head reflected the firelight almost as well as the metal of the Konoha Hitae-ate resting on his forehead. His beard was only slightly grayed by age. His large form sat on a chair directly opposite the dog and his master. The large gray coat that he wore seemed to have been victimized by much use over the years, the shoulders of the sleeveless coat were frayed, as were the tails of the garment. The large man leaned forward, elbows resting on black clad thighs. His chocolate colored eyes glanced first at the dog-user then, over the small round-shield attached to his left shoulder, toward the Shinobi studying the map. "You think you get used to it... but you never do...right Shingen?" He shrugged, a smirk on his face.

The shinobi studying the map chuckled absentmindedly. "Well... There are worse habits, I suppose." He shifted in his simple black gi, his free hand coming up to fix the white and red overcoat that he wore over the gi, red sash, and white hakama that were bound at the knee. Unlike his compatriots he -liked- the bright colors he wore. If you had the right strategies... it wouldn't matter what you wore, the enemy still wouldn't see you. Shingen restarted the rythmic tapping of his wooden fan into his gloved left hand. "Think of it as down time Eo...your partner has the right idea." He swept the closed fan toward the dog at Eo's feet.

The older shinobi gave out a bark of a laugh. "As if that's anything new... that mutt sleeps more n' the dead do."

The shinobi in the black vest, Eo, almost leapt up out of his chair. "Shut it, Morio...An old man like you's got no room criticizing Sui-min!"

Yamano Morio smirked, sat back, and crossed his arms in silence. Eo looked like he was ready to charge the older man, until a loud whipcrack brought both their attentions toward Shingen. He had snapped open his fan and was idly fanning himself, watching the two other shinobi interact. He paused for a moment, his squinted eyes and the slightly amused look on his face, giving away his thoughts even as he canted his head to the side, feigning confusion. "Whaaat? It's kinda warm in here."

Both the older Shinobi and the younger groaned...worse habits indeed. "Fox-face does it again..." Eo sighed...Morio snorted softly.

"But it always works doesn't it?"

Shingen kept his 'fox-faced' expression up, as was usual for him, as he turned. "Ahh...Finally decided to join us eh? _Hime-sama_?"

Standing at the mouth of the large tent was Mitsuki, dressed and ready to go, with her half-mask down. She had her usual serenely amused look on her face as she waved a hand in apology. "Sorry! Sorry!"

Shingen shook his head and sighed... "Dare I ask what your excuse is?"

Mitsuki moved slowly into the tent, pausing to stand next to Shingen, her sea-colored eyes briefly scanning the map on the table. "Well... you see... Today I got lost on the road of life."

There came a collective groan from all three male shinobi in the tent. Shingen couldn't help but chuckle... "And people call me a bad liar."

Mitsuki kept the serene smile on her face seamlessly, as she stretched in a cat-like manner. "So what's the situation?"

Shingen turned back to the map, only his left eye opened completely as he pointed the wooden fan toward the northern most part of Hill Country. "The scouts report that a lot of supplies are being delivered to the _Niyama_ region of Hill Country." He sighed a moment. "A lot going in and none going out." He said in a sing-song manner.

Mitsuki sighed, her face dropping its serene visage in an expression she probably thought of as troubled. To Shingen, it seemed more like a pout. "Any reports from -inside- the Niyama region?"

"None at all..." The grumble came from Morio. He shook his head lightly. "Scouts can't get close enough. Even the Aburame were having problems."

Eo leaned back, putting his feet up on the table. "It's obviously an attack force. Nothing else there...'cept a good position to invade Fire Country." He sighed and leaned his head back. "Looks like our pal the Raikage's gettin antsy again..."

"It's that obviousness that bothers me. The Raikage is only obvious when he wants to be." Shingen tapped the fan in his hand again.

Mitsuki's eyes were glued to a small part of the map, in a place that would be, by her calculations, just outside the scout patrols range in the event of an attack. "Well...Your my tactics commander, Shingen. What do you think?"

He gave his commander a fox-like smirk. 

* * *

They were surprised, he noted with some satisfaction. Surprised that he could draw Chakra. Surprised that he was not only fast enough to keep pace with them, but to do so without breaking a sweat. The three ninja in front of him were just like all the rest he'd ever met. So absolutely positive that they were superior to anything the world could throw at them. Of course, he had to admit, he had a streak of that himself. Still... it was nice to show up the Kumo-nin for once. 

The lead ninja stopped at the edge of a small forest. Across from the small troupe was a long, hilly plain. It was _Oka no Kuni_, after all... The Country of Hills. But beyond the plain was a vast forest, as far as the eye could see, broken only by the occasional mountain. The Fire Country Border was an impressive sight. But, he admitted to himself, having never been this far outside of Lightning Country, he was bound to see impressive things.

"We rest here for now. The Operation is to begin at daybreak." The lead shinobi was a tall, imposing man, who wore a leather long-coat over his normal Jounin uniform. He had a veritable mane of spiky black hair; his green eyes, shadowed by his bangs, gave him a commanding aura. His two compatriots, one wearing an average jounin uniform, but with a gray and violet cloak over his shoulders, and the other in a sleeveless purple shirt under his open flak jacket, and white and blue 'camoflage' pants, nodded in unison.

The one in the cloak sat down practically where he was, and opened a small book he kept with him. While the other set his sheathed _Odachi, _ against the tree closest to him, sat down, and seemed to be attempting to get some sleep.

Nagi eyed up the three shinobi he was with...and could only shake his head at the irony of it all...

The Fates must have had it out for him... 

* * *

A few days earlier found Nagi duly surprised. It seemed his luck hadn't quite given out on him yet. Or so he thought, when they canceled the Freedom Gauntlet. No sooner was he cleaned up and presentable, than he was being escorted, along with his 'master' Katsuri, toward the office of the Raikage. He was dressed in his 'usual' garb, a simple one-sleeved gi, of a pale blue color and matching cloth pants tucked into well worn shin-boots. The only other thing he wore was the fishnet shirt visible under his gi. His gladiator clothing was reserved only for when he had to play his 'role' in the arena. As was per the norm for him, his real arm and his metal one had been handcuffed together. He was -still- a slave after all. 

In front of the two of them was a strange shinobi whose head was wrapped in white cloth, who had called himself Sinobi Gashir. He hadn't said a word after that, simply leading them through _Kumogakure_ to the large 'office' of the Raikage. Though calling it an office was kind of pointless, in Nagi's opinion. The building was a large mansion after all. Gashir lead them through the hustle and bustle of the first floor and up two flights of stairs. Nagi took note that it was much less crowded up here, and much better guarded. His golden yellow gaze shifted toward his master, and he had to stop himself from snorting in disgust. He was strutting around like a chicken that thought it was a peacock. He mentally shook his head as they stopped in front of a large door. "We're here." His gruff voice chimed in before opening the door for them.

Nagi was often known, among his peers for his fierceness and intensity. Some had even called him too intense. But it wasn't often he actually disliked the people he met. In fact the list of people that Nagi truly disliked only had one name on it. Katsuri Takeda. But he had added another name to that list today. And where as Katsuri had -earned- his name on that list...it was only Nagi's gut feelings that told him the Raikage was not someone he wanted to be near...much less trust.

"Welcome..." Tetsuma was sitting behind a large oaken desk, leaning forward with his elbows on the desktop. His dull black eyes and neutral smile were visible over his interlaced fingers. Though his hat had been discarded to the side, he did indeed wear the purple and white robes of the Raikage.

"Ahh... It is such a pleasure to see you again Raikage-sama..." Katsuri clasped his hands together and waddled forward. Nagi was generally apathetic to the small nuances and rules that went into political meetings... But for some reason, watching Katsuri do it only doubled his apathy.

The Raikage put on what Nagi could only call an indulging smile. "It has been some time Takeda-dono." Tetsuma leaned back casually in his chair, his eyes drifting from the noble to his slave. "I wanted to congratulate you personally... on winning todays melee. I'm sure you would have performed well in the Gauntlet..."

Those dull...ash colored eyes held something behind them. Something that Nagi did not much like, though he could not put his finger on it entirely. "Ahh, you are too kind, Raikage-sama, to be giving such praise personally." Katsuri had moved into Tetsuma's line of sight, putting him between Nagi and the Raikage.

"I was not...speaking to you Takeda." Nagi had to keep himself from smirking. The Raikages words cut like a sharpened blade, and Katsuri visible jumped back. Tetsuma slowly, methodically, stood from his position behind his desk, and moved out to look at Nagi again. "I was speaking to the one who deserves such praise."

_Riiight. _Nagi believed that about as much as he believed Katsuri to truly be his 'master.' His gaze said much the same, which prompted a smirk from the Raikage.

"B-but Raikage-sama, a slave such as this hardly deserves praise from the likes of you." Nagi didn't know which he felt more of, annoyance or sickness, at Katsuri's brown-nosing.

Tetsuma was circling Nagi, like some kind of predatory beast. Nagi knew he probably couldn't actually defeat someone like Tetsuma...but ideas like that had never stopped him from trying before. He kept himself in a confident and proud stance, if only to defy whatever authority the Raikage might be trying to impress upon him. In his periphery vision Nagi noted the worrying expression on Katsuri's face. It didn't make him -like- Tetsuma any more than before, but seeing Katsuri talked to like a whipped dog was enjoyable.

"Is that so?" Tetsuma stopped, and slowly turned to look toward Katsuri. "Tell me... Takeda." The lacking honorific did not pass unnoticed, just as before. "Are you capable of defeating fifty-some fighters using only your own skill?" _Or lack there of..._ The sneer was carefully kept off Tetsuma's face. The only reason Katsuri hadn't been killed during Tetsuma's rise to the top was the fact that the fat noble had carefully stayed away from taking a side. He had only supported Tetsuma after it had become apparent he would be the stronger of the two forces. In Tetsuma's book, he was naught but a fat coward.

"O-of course not! Whyever would you think me capable of something so bar..." Katsuri quickly shut his mouth, remembering only too late who it was he was speaking to.

Tetsuma mentally shook his head. Applying just a little killing intent and even the most cunning and capable merchant began stuttering. Katsuri felt himself powerful, simply because he had money and a strong slave. "So what? Barbaric?" Tetsuma began idly circling Katsuri, applying the same basic tactic he had been using on Nagi. "You think fighting is barbaric? And yet you keep many slaves, and even a gladiator." He paused behind a visibly shaking Katsuri. "Tell me... which is the more barbaric?" Of course... he didn't mention the fact Kumo-nin regularly used slaves to keep their skills sharp. Or any of the other things one might consider barbaric that he would use to his advantage.

"I...um..." Katsuri was twiddling his fingers, completely unsure of how to answer Tetsuma's question. Damned if he did. Damned if he didn't.

Tetsuma sighed, "In Kumogakure, strength is rewarded. The weak are culled, and the strong are bred. You, Takeda...are weak." He let the idle threat sink on Takeda's face, amused as the man began to sweat heavily. "Thus I have no use for you." He turned sharply, to look at Nagi. "However...I am in need of someone capable of fighting multiple opponents at once." Tetsuma smirked lightly at the bored look in Nagi's eyes. "Or should I say excel's at fighting multiple opponents."

Katsuri tried desperately to recover himself, to little avail. "You wish the service of my slave?"

"Not just...the service..." Tetsuma kept his back to Katsuri, and his eyes on Nagi who still looked defiant. _Ookami is indeed a good name for you. A collared, wild wolf._

"I-I..." With the Raikages gaze off of him for now, he was finally able to collect his thoughts. He had to weigh his options, bad as they were. He realized only too late the trap that the Raikage had put him in. He could refuse the Raikage and lose what ever smidgen of favor he had with the man, and likely his life with it. Or he could lose the slave that had gained him much popularity and wealth. His life or his money. He sighed, mentally, in defeat. "If its the slave you want, Raikage-sama, then you shall have him."

"Good. Then we are in agreement Takeda-dono..." The honorific was back. Nagi held back a slight chuckle as Katsuri visibly sighed in relief. Tetsuma turned and nodded slightly. "I've no further need of you Takeda-dono. Have one of your servants deliver your slaves weapons and armor to me before you leave." It was Katsuri's cue to leave, which he, with a slight bow, did all too quickly. No sooner was the door closed on him then Tetsuma scowled. "I should have gutted him with the rest of the fools I had killed."

It threw Nagi off, just slightly, to see the sudden shift in the Raikage. He had changed from one master to another. But he wasn't sure which was better...or perhaps he should say... which was worse?

"Hmm?" Tetsuma turned, the light brown bangs of his short, cropped, hair, shifting slightly with the movement. "Surprised are you?" His words were to Nagi, something that the slave wasn't quite used to. His previous master rarely found cause to speak to him.

"Not especially." Nagi's harsh voice broke the sudden silence between them. "More surprised at the suddenness of the change... than the change itself."

"That is simply because you aren't as stupid as Katsuri is." The Raikage moved around, standing in front of his desk, and leaning idly on it. "The weak have their uses...if one can tolerate them." His eyes searched those of the yellow-eyed slave across from him for a moment. "You...do not trust me?" These last words caused even Gashir, who had been silently standing by the door during the entire altercation to look toward the Raikage.

"I trust you... about as far as I can punch you." Nagi decided to be truthful. Something in the mans smirk told him he didn't need to be quite so civil as he was used to faking.

"More proof that you are more intelligent than Katsuri." He settled back with a light, superior, smirk that Nagi found rather distasteful. And he knew the Raikage knew that. "But what I said to Katsuri remains true. I've need of someone capable of fighting off multiple opponents."

Nagi canted his head to the side. "For?"

"Blunt and to the point...I like that." The Raikage reached for a small map on his desk. "I will be equally blunt. I need someone to ensure my more useful servants return safely." He held up the map that displayed the part of Konoha that bordered on Hill Country.

"You want me to be a sacrificial lamb?" There was no malice in his voice...only a slight amusement.

The Raikage chuckled. "Plainly put yes." He pointed to small portion of Hill Country, in its northernmost point. "I have a large force ready to harass the Konoha defense-line. But it is naught more than a diversion. I'm sending some of my more...skilled...servants to assassinate a certain target inside Fire Country." He paused and threw the map over his shoulder with little care. "Capable servants are useful...and hard to come by. So I wish to ensure that they come by no permanent harm. Should they encounter more than they can handle, you are to make sure they are able to retreat." He folded his arms over his chest and watched the curious reaction he was getting from the slave.

Nagi was amused. Not by his mission, nor even his situation. He was amused by the frankness of the man in front him. People were rarely that open. "By any means possible correct?" The Raikage simply nodded. "So you expect me to die?"

The Raikage shook his head. "I expect you to guard my men. If that means your life then yes... by all means, die. However, as I told Katsuri, Kumogakure is a place where the weak are quickly culled, where the strong succeed. Should you survive this and future assignments...I -may- begin to see you as a 'capable servant' yourself. If you understand me."

Nagi smirked, there was an odd, completely twisted, and yet completely understandable logic behind the mans thinking. He simply nodded.

"Good." Tetsuma's eyes drifted toward his aid who had resumed his silent guard of the door. "Gashir, show the Ookami to his quarters. And make sure his things find their way to him." Gashir dutifully nodded.

Nagi couldn't decide if his luck was absolutely incredible, or absolutely terrifying. 

* * *

And that was how Nagi had found himself in his current plight. Leave it to the fates to concoct such a strange path for him to walk. He settled in a spot near a tree, where he was able to watch the Fire Country boarder from a distance. 

"Man...I don't get it. Why aren't we goin' after a -strong- target? Like the Hokage!" It was the man in the camoflage pants, who had apparently given up on sleep.

The cloaked man looked up from his book. "If you want to fight the Professor, then by all means...do. Just leave the rest of us non-suicidal people out of it Kenzo."

"Tch! Don't be such a wuss Koga." Kenzo shifted uncomfortably on the cold ground. "I mean, really, what's the point of offin' some damned noble?"

The last member of their group spoke up. "Koga is correct Kenzo. There are not many who can match the strength and experience of the Hokage, old as he is." Like Nagi, the last member of their troupe had taken to watching the Fire Country Boarder.

"Man..." Kenzo rolled his eyes. "Still... what's the point of guttin some fat pig of a noble?"

Their leader turned, his intense green gaze giving pause even to his own comrades. "Fire Country doesn't work like Lightning Country." He paused, running a hand through his mass of spiky black locks. "It isn't just any noble we're targeting... we're going after the Fire Lord who actually possesses some small measure of power. Unlike the Lightning Lord. It's simply to show Konoha that we can and will penetrate their measly defenses."

Kenzo sighed. "All right! All right! I get it Capt'n Kagato..." He sighed and stretched, still trying to find a comfortable spot. "Still, wish we had someone stronger ta fight...You agree...dontcha' slaveboy?"

Nagi shifted, unused to people addressing him so casually. "Doesn't much matter to me. Unlike you Ninja. My only goal in this is to stay alive."

Kenzo grumbled lightly, which prodded a condescending smirk from Koga. "Unlike you Kenzo, that ones at least got his mission in his sights."

The sword-bearing nin growled back at the cloaked shinobi. He was about to say something when Kagato's voice cut through it all. "Enough. Theres no need for pointless bickering." His green eyes turned toward Nagi. "The slave has his goal and his mission, as do we. That is all we need." He turned his gaze back to the boarder. "Now get some rest. It's only a few hours until dawn. After the operation begins we will have very little time to rest."

Nagi sighed, watching the two grumbling shinobi trying to settle down and sleep. He turned his gaze toward their leader, Kagato, unsure of why he and the other two shinobi were so casual with him...a slave.

As if reading his thoughts Kagato turned, a ghost of a smirk on his face. "I don't care about you, or where you come from, or what you do." His eyes turned back to the boarder, as if he could already see the Fire Lord. " If Raikage-sama thinks you're strong enough for this mission, then that is fine with me. All that matters is that we complete the mission given to us. Now get some rest yourself, Ookami."

Nagi slept for only an hour or two, awakened only by the shuffling of their leader. The other two shinobi were waking as well. "The operation will begin in about an hours time.. make sure you are prepared." Kagato received nods from all three of his subordinates. 

* * *

"Are you sure Shingen?" Yamano Morio watched the horizion carefully, a habit from his many years on the battlefield. He was hidden behind a small hill watching over the nearby boarder. 

"Sure I'm sure." the fan-bearing ninja announced in a sing-song manner. His squinted eyes and amused smirk ever present on his face. "If they are going to try and sneak an infiltration party into Fire Country, then the only place to do that would be here, the small gap in patrol ranges created after an enemy attack." _What worries me more is how the enemy figured out the gap was there..._

Eo shifted uncomfortably next to the older shinobi. "I doubt the Raikage's gonna push too hard, even if he ain't sneakin' someone in. It's not like he can push all the way to Konoha in one go."

Shingen smirked. "That is true. Besides, my little brother is a capable leader, he'll do fine."

"You only say that because you wanted to shirk the chore you gave to Hirochi." Mitsuki dropped in beside them soundlessly, a pleasant smile ever on her face.

"Ahh correct as always _Hime-sama_." Shingen smirked.

Eo couldn't help but sigh. It really said something when a man who talks with a dog was the most 'normal' human being among them. He idly scratched Sui-min's head. "You don't have to out and say it like that Shingen."

"Whyever not?" Shingen chuckled lightly before turning back to Mitsuki. "Anything _Hime_?"

She shrugged slightly. "If they are out there... they're probably maintaining a decent enough distance so as to not be spotted." There came a loud screech overhead, as a familiar hawk flew by.

Morio steadied himself. "So it's started eh? Then our guests ought to be here soon."

Sui-min, Eo's tan and black Shepard, nudged his leg and whined. "Huh? What is it boy?" He proceeded to nod every few seconds.

Morio always wondered if he really was talking with the dog or if he just made it up. The Inuzuka clan was just plain odd. But then, he thought for a moment, so were Aburame, the Hyuuga, the Nara, the Akimichi, all of them. In Konoha, there was little that was truly strange that was actually considered strange.

"The winds shifted slightly. Sui-min says he smells a group of people across the fields." Eo cracked his knuckles with a smirk "Looks like our friends are making their move."

"There!" Shingen pointed with his fan. at the dark shadows streaming across the hilly plains.

Morio chuckled. "Time to play."

Kagato spared only a glance over his shoulder to see the three men trailing behind him. They were running as fast as they could while drawing as little attention as possible. If their information was correct, the gap in patrol ranges caused by the attack that should well be under way was small, maybe only a mile or so wide. They had to penetrate it before the other patrols got in range.

His inward thoughts were instantly derailed however, as instinct took him over. He leapt nimbly to the side just in time as spikes of earth rose out of the ground at them. The four infiltrators all managed to avoid the sudden attack. And all four were searching for where it had come from.

"Was it a trap set up before?" The voice was Koga, the cloaked nin.

Kenzo was scanning the tree line before he turned back and noticed the spikes of earth that had attacked them had vanished. "Captain! It..."

"Was it a genjutsu trap?" Kagatos words were more for himself than to his teammates. His eyes narrowed as he stretched his senses... and found what he was looking for. He quickly put his hands together and performed the necessary seals, seeing the world flicker around them for a moment.

"_Gatsuuga!_"

The voice rang out just as the genjutsu dropped. He looked up just in time to see a pair of massive whirling tornado's homing in on them, "Back!" In almost perfect unison Kagato, Koga, and Kenzo leapt back and into a ready stance. "Tch! It seems the enemy was aware of it's own weakness..." Kagato growled out, seeing the pair of shinobi that had been a pair of tornados just prior. He watched as one of the two poofed in a cloud of smoke to reveal a dog. Behind the man and his dog were two more nin, a large older man with a massive hammer that seemed to be made from the very earth itself, and a smirking ninja idly fanning himself with a large wooden fan.

"Well... If it isn't Konoha's Garuda themselves..." Kenzo smirked, it appeared he'd get his good fight after all.

"Tch! Tricky bastards..." Koga straightened one of his gloves as he eyed up the three shinobi in front of him. "Using Ninjutsu, and then a Genjutsu to make us think the Ninjutsu was a Genjutsu..." He growled lowly.

Shingen held a finger up and chuckled. "And don't forget the frontal attack...I thought the plan went off rather well... even if it did fail."

Koga growled and was about to launch an attack when a hand blocked his path. "Captain?"

Kagato was annoyed. He was always annoyed at things that interfered with his missions. Especially things like these. "The Garuda, four powerful Konoha Jounin who command the Northeastern Defense Line of Fire Country..." One. Two. Three...Wait. "But where is your shrew of a lea..."

"_Katon No Fuuin Kai: Yon no Hinotama!_"

Too late Kagato noticed the four balls of fire closing in on his position. There was no way to get away completely unscathed. That thought vanished when a shadow dropped down from above him.

Nagi smirked, always loving a decent entrance. He doubted he could knock away a ninjutsu with just his spear, so he used the beginnings of technique he had crafted on his own. He coated his spear with a layer of chakra and, in one fluid movement, batted aside the balls of fire.

Kagato smirked. _Well... looks like the slave -is- taking this mission seriously._

"Ara...How rude..."

Nagi looked up, to their left was a masked woman in a deep crimson keikogi and tight black pants. What was really odd about her however, were the four talismans that seemed to float around her, as if they were controlled by some disembodied, phantasmal force.

"You can't just swat a persons fireballs away like that..." Mitsuki sighed, bringing one hand to her masked cheek and using the other arm to support it. She looked serene despite what she was saying. Her green/blue eyes looked at them each in turn. "Kenzo, The Devil of Blades. Koga, the Devil Summoner. Kagato, The Devil of Illusion..." She paused as she took in the one who had swatted her jutsu away..."Araa...Your face I don't recognize..."

Nagi smirked lightly. "I'd prefer to keep it that way. Thanks." It looked like things were about to pick up. 

* * *

A/n: Boom! Ha! Sorry I know I ended it at the highpoint. Sorry! Sorry! Couldn't help it. We're finally through with the introductions, and all the actors are in the play... Can you believe that this chapters longer than the last two...combined? Even I didn't intend for it to go that long. Ahh well, I'm a really... whimsical writer. Sometimes I write -alot- other times i don't feel like writing at all. Once i get inspired though, it's hard to stop. Heck, as a point I've already written the epilogue, and most of the last chapter to this story... and it's just barely begun...strange huh? Anyway R&R as ya like :) 

Gatsuuga: Actually, I don't recall exactly what this means, but you know the technique I'm referring to, Kiba's twin tornado thingy. :)

Katon No Fuuin Kai: Yon No Hinotama: Fire Seal Release: Four Fireballs... (Simple huh?)

Hime-Sama: Princess/Lady, In Shingens case... Princess


	4. Chapter 4: Conflict

"Reporting!" A shinobi appeared in a plumb of smoke just before his words. He quickly moved to kneel.

Hirochi sighed. How did he get put into this situation, he wondered. His furrowed brow the only sign of irritation on the otherwise squinty-eyed man. "How does it look?"

"Sir! Minor skirmishes are being reported all along the northeastern corner of the boarder, our teams are scattered thin and are requesting reinforcements!."

Another sigh, before Hirochi ran his hand through his pale brown hair. He wasn't his brother! He wasn't a tactical expert. Hell, he'd barely passed the Chuunin Exams.He never did quite know how he made Jounin...and that wasn't more than a month ago. _Dammit Shingen..._ The annoying memory popped up in his head, how his brother, with all his wile and wit, had practically shoved the duty of leading the defense-line on to him, while he went with the rest of the Garuda to intercept the infiltration team. "If my brothers information is right, the Kumo nin won't press hard. Draw the teams back to close the gaps and strengthen the line. If Kumo continues to press after that... I'll send more forces... but not before."

The shinobi in front of him nodded and vanished just as he appeared. Hirochi sighed...leadership was a much greater burden than he had realized. "I really picked the wrong line of work..." He turned back to the map, trying to figure out a next move. "I could've been an artist!" he said without much seriousness in his voice. One of the shinobi next to him snorted, a smirk visible on his features. _Well, no use getting worked up about what won't change..._ "Well now..." He leaned over the table beside him and chuckled. "Lets see if we can't prod the beehive some."

----------

"Wise man once say..." The figure darted to the left narrowly avoiding a couple of kunai, " steam from ears -can't- be healthy!"

Koga scowled deeply, drawing another set of kunai from the confines of his cloak. He threw one, and attached an explosive tag to the other as he darted left, and tossed the miniature explosive towards the agile Konoha shinobi across from him. The kunai embedded itself in the ground right in front of the smirking shinobi and exploded. Koga's smirk died on his lips before it ever began as a smoldering log landed with a thud a few feet from the explosion. "Tch! _Kawarimi no Jutsu_? What's a Jounin using such a low level technique for?"

"Because...well... I don't know. Just... -because-." Koga's vision was drawn to the left of their forested battlefield. Shingen, smirk and all, was fanning himself idly with the large red wooden fan. The character for irritation clearly painted on the open panels. He couldn't help but chuckle a bit as he saw his opponent scowl even deeper and curse something not fit for good company. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to make such faces? They'll get stuck that way..." He snapped his fan closed and tapped it into the glove of his open hand. "I mean... look at me!" He canted his head to the side, auburn brown bangs falling over his squinted, fox-like visage.

Koga, resisting the urge to just roll his eyes at the ninja across from him, made a mental tally of where his allies were. Concentration and calculation were the two things that set a true ninja above all the rabble. Kenzo was busily involved in a general melee with that strange dog-user a slight distance east of him. The slave was hashing it out in typical close combat with the large older man even further east. He didn't even -need- to keep track of their leader, Kagato. Koga could -feel- the chakra in the air as he and that kunoichi exchanged one jutsu after another in rapidfire fashion.

Allied positions confirmed, he took a second to analyze the surroundings. They'd managed to cross the boarder into the wooded lands of Fire Country, but hadn't even left sight of the boarder before they'd been intercepted by these Garuda. They were fighting in a small forested valley, the walls of the rocky hills loomed on both sides of the pass that eventually lead back out to Hill Country.

He cursed silently, in all truth their mission was a failure. They would never be able to infiltrate the Fire Country Capital to assassinate the Fire Lord completely undetected now...not with all the noise they were making. All that was left was to look for a chance to make a tactical retreat. His hands withdrew into his cloak, withdrawing a pair of vials containing a thick crimson liquid. With a flick of his wrist he tossed them out and proceeded to form the proper handseals. "_Akuma shieki no jutsu._" Simultaneously both vials shattered, a thick smoke rising from the small explosion.

Shingens smirk dropped for just a moment, leaping back at the sudden small-scale explosion and the resulting plumbs of smoke. A high pitched shriek hit his ears and then another. What could only be describes as some grotesque cross between a spider and a dog crawled from the smoke, an identical twin following right behind it. "Well now...three on one is hardly fair..." He dodged to the left, as one of the demons leapt at him in a very spider like fashion. Forced to roll to the left again as the other demon leapt at him, its mandibles overflowing with a strange liquid that could only be poison of some kind, Shingen quickly placed the closed fan in his sash, bit his thumb and smirked. "Guess I can play that game..." His hands flew in a series of seals. "_Kuchiyose no Jutsu._" He slammed an open palm into the ground and, in a burst of smoke, he was flanked by a large pair of black-as-night tigers.

----------

He launched himself forward, arm outstretched, fist balled. The swift punch was dodged by mere centimeters as Kenzo leaned back, letting the dog user glide past him and skid to a halt as he spun to face the swordsmen.

"Izzat all you can do _Kono-nin_?" He held his plain handled odachi out to the side, a superior smirk on his features. He would never claim to be the smartest ninja around but, he reasoned, if you could rip through someone's plan with raw force...what was the point of claiming intellectual superiority? He spun, narrowly avoiding the sharp claws and fangs of the tan and black dog, and with a swipe of his sword...barely missed the dog as it retreated to it's owners side. "You're buzzing around like a little gnat..." He lofted the sword, letting it rest casually on one shoulder. "It ain't gonna do you any good..." He smirked...how many shinobi, he wondered, could claim to have bested one of the _Shinobigatana_ of the Mist at their own game? Those seven swordsmen were feared opponents, but then, so was he. That was why he'd beaten one.

"Man you bark more than a dog... you know that?" Eo sighed, the Kumo sword-nin reminded him a lot of his obnoxious clan members back in Konoha. Always loud and boasting about this and that. It irritated him to no end to realize that he was the exception to the rule when it came to how reserved he normally was. The Inuzuka clan, natural-born scouts that they were, seemed to have an uncanny knack to be as loud and rambunctious as possible. "Lets do it, Sui-min!" With a loud bark the dog scampered behind his master. "_Futatsu-Shinkirou!_"

Kenzo blinked, thinking perhaps his eyes were watering or something. No...The image of the beast-user was actually flickering around him, like a mirage. He smirked. he'd seen attacks of this sort before. The first attack would be a feint and either the second or third 'mirage' would be the real strike. He leveled his long blade and darted forward with a sense of agility most would never find in someone who used such a large weapon. Holding his weapon horizontally, he swung the weapon in a massive arc, a smirk forming on his lips as he watched the blade slice completely through his opponent...with no resistance?

The smirk forming on Kenzo's lips died before it ever had a chance. The image of the flickering dog user vanished entirely just as the blade passed through him. He felt a slight increase in his weapons weight, watching with a slight scowl as his opponent used his sword as a step to launch himself high into the air...But something tickled his warriors instinct... Kenzo couldn't quite figure it out until he noticed the image of the dog-user wasn't flickering.

"Now! Sui-min!" Eo called out as he began rotating, building up a vicious tornado. Kenzo took the slight second he had to look behind him... an identical clone of the Inuzuka was only a few feet behind him, starting its own rotation... "_Gatsuuuga!_"

A loud explosion rang out over the battlefield and, as the smoke and dust began to settle, Kenzo stumbled backwards... no worse for the wear save for a large gash over his left brow. "Big...mistake...Kono-nin..."

----------

Three full flips were completed before her feet found a solid standing ground... or as solid as a ninja needed at any rate. From the tops of two trees the two leaders of the battling shinobi stared each other down.

"Tch...those damnable talismans are annoying..." Kagato brought one hand up, idly rubbing his sore shoulder. "Using them as a means of using so many different elements... it's almost unfair." The Fire Country's warm wind picked up, sending leaves into the air about them.

Mitsuki never once let the serene smile drop from her face as she rose a hand, keeping some hair from falling into her eyes. "Hmm? I never thought I'd hear the Devil of Illusion complaining about fairness." The four talismans hovered in the air in front of her, a slight crackle of energy running between them. "After all, who was it that was trying to sneak across the boarder? Hmm?"

Kagato simply smirked, his dark mane billowing about him. His hands flashed in a series of seals, finishing with a clap-together of his hands. "_Hyaku Shuurai no jutsu"_ He separated his hands and between them formed a small ball of lightning. From that ball, began streaming bolts of lightning, all aimed toward the Konoha kunoichi across from him.

Mitsuki hopped back once, twice, but couldn't avoid the next incoming bolt. "_Tate!_" The four talismans floating about her crackled with energy as the bolt impacted a shield of a dull white color. Mitsuki managed to dodge the majority, and those she couldn't, her shield managed to block. She leapt back one last time, dodging the last bolt of electricity. "Araa...You certainly aren't making this easy _Onii-san._" She emphasized the last word with a slight wave of her finger. Kneeling for a moment, she used the momentum to launch herself high into the air, and produced a strange looking paper talisman from the sleeve of her keikogi. The four talismans floating in the air around her began to pulse in rhythm with the one she held. "_Doton no fuuin kai: Chiryu Shinkou_."

Mitsuki's joke did not pass unnoticed by the dark haired man, but a truly trained shinobi would hardly be baited but such words. He barely leapt clear of the tree he'd been perching on as it, and the space he'd been occupying just a few seconds earlier found itself within the belly of an angry looking dragon formed from the earth below him. He leapt back again, barely avoiding the dragons snapping maw, as it crashed back down to the earth below. Kagato once again found himself face to face with the female shinobi with but a few treetops between them. His eye twitched just slightly. "I tire of looking at that Buddha-like face of yours, shrew..."

Mitsuki brought her hand to her chin, a finger tapping her cheek lightly as she canted her head to the side. "Araa... no need to get so personal, _Onii-san._" The almost playful tone in her voice never slipping.

----------

Most shinobi he knew, and the very few he fought, had always favored agility and speed over a solid defense or overwhelming offense. They liked to dart around and pelt him with kunai or whatever jutsu they favored. There were, of course, the odd ones out, like Kenzo, who preferred a good up close fight. The large older man across from him seemed like that type, hefting what just -had- to be one heavy looking stone hammer over his shoulder.

But it wasn't really the hammer or the mans age or even his size that put his senses on edge. It was the mans smirk, his silent admission of superiority. There were those who smiled and smirked in such a way that it practically reeked up falseness, Nagi had seen -many- of those, and then there were those whose smirk foretold true strength. If his estimations were anywhere near close, the latter was far more likely than the former for this particular foe. He let out a breath slowly, and leveled his spear in a ready stance. The mans age foretold experience, and if the lack of ninja's his age was any measure, a decent amount of skill as well. Nagi also sensed that special air that only those authoritative figures liked to put on. -That- was enough to throw most of his fears out the window...he just needed to make sure his caution didn't go with it.

"You stand there any longer n I'll be mummified before we finish this." Morio dropped his hammer, the large flat section of it thudding on the ground below.

"Heh, works in my favor...'Sides... you know it's age before beauty right..."

Morio's smirk only grew. "Like your a shinin' example of beauty?"

"Well... More n you old man." His eyes narrowed... the old man across from him, though lax, hadn't let down his guard in the least.

"That so?" Morio stretched his free arm once before wrapping his hand around the broad hilt of the stone-hammer. "Then who am I ta be..." In a speed Nagi had certainly not expected from a man of his age and girth, Morio rushed forward, hammer held high. "...rude!"

Nagi barely had a few moments time to recognize the attack was coming before the hammer was already above him. With a swift twist he spun out of the way, adjusting himself on the vibrating ground next to where the hammer had fallen. He let his chakra spread, encompassing the bladed portion of his spear and, using the momentum of his prior twist, lashed out with his spear horizontally.

Morio, expecting a counter attack of some sort, leapt back in retreat. However, to his surprise a veritable wave of chakra was following his retreat. He leaned his left shoulder forward, and let the shield take the brunt of the attack he realized he couldn't easily dodge. The wave of chakra dispersed over it, but not before leaving a sizable gash running from one side of the shield to the other. "Whoo... Nasty little technique you've got there." The old man looked up only to find the grassy area in front of him empty. With a sudden realization he spun, his hands rapidly forming a series of seals. "_Tsuchi shouheki no jutsu._" Finishing with slapping both his hands to the ground below. A large earthen slab rose up in front of him just in time to intercept another wave of sharp chakra from his opponents weapon. Again the technique dispersed but not before cleaving almost clean through the wall of stone and earth. The onslaught didn't stop, nor did Morio expect it to. From the front, the back, from his left, or his right, and even from above him. He was forced, again and again, to dodge or block the wave.

_He'll probably get fed up with trying this from a distance and either change tactics or close in..._ Morio, though often thought of as jolly, was far from mindless. He would never call himself a great shinobi, or even a very talented one. What he was, however, was experienced. His long years of fighting had taught him a great deal. _He's fairly fast, and uses a chakra-light technique from a distance. But someone with a spear is rarely a distance-type._ And almost on some silent or mental queue, he spotted the black-haired spear man out of the corner of his eye, off to his right, before noticing him charging inward. _Close-up it is..._ He mentally prepared one of his weaker, but oft-used, jutsu's... one that didn't require handseals...before slapping the ground at his feet yet again.

He barely had time to look up and jump back before Nagi's spear sliced at the air he had been occupying only milliseconds before. Like last time he leaned his left shoulder forward. The shield probably wouldn't survive the technique this time, but as long as it stopped the attack...that's what counted. Both his estimations came true. The technique was thwarted and the shield shattered.

Nagi didn't even have time to form some semblance of anger or annoyance before he noticed himself sinking into the ground around him. The ground had become almost...quicksand-like in nature from Morio's last jutsu. Just as he attempted to leap free, he noticed Morio toss his hammer into the sky. "_Nagareboshi no jutsu._" The hammer, which had looked as if it were carved from the very stone of the earth around them, shattered in many small balls and then, subsequently, burst into flame with their intended target to be none other than Nagi himself. Using his own chakra, Nagi managed to free himself from the muddy earth and leapt back, avoiding the first few falling meteorites. Spinning his spear he leveled the hind-portion of it, decorated with a large metallic crescent-shaped object and made a whip-like motion outwards.

Needless to say, Morio was surprised when the small metallic object, seemingly attached to a long chain, wrapped around him and effectively dragged him into the blast radius of his own jutsu. The chain retracted in time for Morio to notice the last, and largest, of his meteorites plummeting right toward him. "Damn! _Tsuchi shouheki no jutsu._" Again an earthen wall rose up intercepting the incoming stone. His senses told him that his opponent was readying another attack. He tried spinning around to ready his defense technique again...but the muddy earth around him slowed him. A small part of his brain realized he'd never get the jutsu off in time, but he tried anyway. His fingers barely began their first seal before he saw the wave closing in on him.

He prepared himself for the worst...

...only to see the wave splash against a strange, almost ethereal white barrier. His eyes focused, noticing the four talismans floating in front of him, forming his captains almost iconic shield. He noticed, as well, as the lithe form his young captain dropped down in front of him, just behind her own barrier, her breathing only slightly erratic. "Are you all right Morio?"

"Uh." He shook his head, quickly clearing the adrenaline induced fog. "Y-yeah, captain... Sorry about that. I got cocky n he surprised me." He quickly undid the jutsu binding his feet and stood straight.

"I noticed..." She had her typical serene look... ever the Buddha. "Almost thought I wouldn't make it in time." She looked to their left, where two of the four Kumo nin had been driven back to the small ravine that acted as a pass into the area. Kenzo and Koga both were breathing fairly hard, but no worse for the wear. No sooner did she see them, than they were joined by their leader, Kagato. The young spearman whom she still didn't have a name for had retreated back to them as well.

She heard, before she saw, the heavy breathing of the large black tiger that stood beside it's summoner, Shingen, and noticed as well, when Eo and his canine partner joined them. The two groups came to a standstill yet again. A gloved hand rose, straightening her keikogi before turning to look at their enemies. "Had enough already... _Onii-san?_"

"Hardly...shrew." His gloved hand brushed his bangs, and a slight amount of sweat, from his forehead. "I just happen to dislike the excessive heat of this country is all."

"Well... It -is- called Fire Country after all." Shingen chuckled lightly before wincing at the slightly forced elbow to his ribs from Eo. "Ow...What was that for?!" He glared accusingly at the dog-user.

Mitsuki spared only a cursory glance, and sigh, toward Shingen, before clearing her throat and returning her sea-blue gaze back to Kagato. "Really? Looks to me like your looking for a chance to run away. You don't really think we're just going to stand here and let you waltz away, do you?"

"Hardly..." Kagato smirked. "But we were given...insurance... for just such a senario. Right? _Ookami-san_?"

Nagi simply scowled. Somehow he felt like a plucked duck held over a boiling pot. Every time the fates seemed to cut him a break, it was only to drop him that much closer to the water. He let out a low grunt and stepped forward, bringing his spear to the ready.

"I'm afraid this little game is over with, Lady Seal Mistress. Our mission is a failure, thus we have no more reason to be here." As Kagato finished the last few words of his sentence, Koga withdrew two kunai wrapped with explosive tags. The three Kumo-nin leapt back and Koga threw the two kunai at the two sides of the miniature pass' wall, bringing rubble crashing down between them and the Konoha force that seemed ready to give chase.

------------

Eo was ready to leap toward the fleeing Kumo-nin, but was only held back by the large wrinkled hands of Morio. But Shingen and Mitsuki both were very much surprised. The last warrior... the one Kagato had called 'Ookami' hadn't retreated with them. Instead he charged forward with the falling stone raining about him.

A particularly large boulder slammed down in front of Nagi's path. With one swift motion, he cleaved the obstruction in two and skidded to a halt at the mouth of the now collapsed pass. He leveled his spear again and, with one final resigned sigh, smirked.

"They...abandoned they're comrade?" Morio's voice was slightly shaky, as if he was restraining some kind of anger.

"Actually, it looks more like he wanted to be abandoned." Shingen had closed his fan. Though his fox-eyed squint remained, his smirk had dropped from his lips quite quickly.

Nagi snorted. "Heh...You're both wrong." He spun his spear overhead before releasing one of his cutting waves of chakra, headed straight toward the four shinobi.

Though it never made it, as it's chakra splash over Mitsuki's strange talisman shield. "Araa? Now I'm curious. What do you mean by that, _Ookami-san_?" The four talismans spun, as if directed by unseen hands, before returning to the hand of their waiting owner. Mitsuki stepped forward, imitating Shingen and fanning herself with her talismans.

"Tch! I'd say it's pretty obvious lady." Though he didn't drop his stance, he freed one hand from his spear to tap the caste-iron collar around his neck. "I'm sure even you have enough braincells to know what this is."

"A very gaudy necklace?" It came out so smoothly and naturally from the masked kunoichi that Nagi flinched, trying to keep his temper down.

"Ok, that's the last time I assume anything about shinobi." Nagi growled and took a threatening stance.

Shingen snapped his fan open again, smirked, and took a step forward... "Well, you know what they say about assuming...It makes an ass.." He was cut off as his captain held a hand out in front of him.

"He looks enough like one that I doubt he needs help in -that- department, Shingen." Mitsuki smirked behind her half-mask and took a step forward. With a flick of her wrist, the four talismans were once again floating about her in a disembodied fashion.

"My oh my, _Hime-sama_. That was just cruel." Shingen smirked, stepping back beside the silent Eo and Morio, before he began fanning himself yet again.

She simply smirked and took a few more steps forward. "Why is it you're continuing to fight? Is it against your wishes?"

"Are you kiddin lady?" Nagi smirked is such a feral and blood thirsty way that, for a moment, Mitsuki almost began doubting the mans sanity. "I've -never- been more free than I am. Right. Now!" As if to punctuate his last few words he charged forward thrusting his spear out toward Mitsuki.

Nimble as ever, the Konoha Kunoichi leapt clear of the vicious slash. However, Nagi's attacks did not cease, once more he slashed, and once more she dodged. It was like watching some kind of deadly dance between the two of them.

------------

Of the three shinobi watching the fight, Eo seemed the most annoyed. He crossed his arms and sighed. "He ain't too bad. But you must be slippin if he caught -you- off guard Morio."

The old man grumbled and ran a hand through his trimmed beard. "He's more wily than you give him credit for, Mutt."

Eo was about to throw a retort but, as usual, was cut off by Shingen. "Perhaps...but this wily man can atest to the fact that clever ploys only get one so far." His usual squinted features hardened somewhat, as he carefully watched the fight in front of him. "He's certainly above your average weapons-user. But the gap between him and our little _Hime-sama_ is pretty apparent."

Eo snorted. "Like it really matters. He's a throw-a-way."

Morio chuckled. "His only reason for fighting is to make sure we don't follow the three Devils, true." He sighed lightly. "But out of all the Kumo-nin, he's the only one who accomplished his mission."

"I suppose that counts on some level..." Shingen chuckled. "But we accomplished ours as well, in preventing their incursion."

------------

Nagi skidded back before righting himself and falling into a stance. He stopped a growl in his throat. He was being bested by a women almost half his size. His labored breathing versus her comfortable, almost lax, stance said that well enough. Well, if this was bound to be his last fight, he might as well put everything he had into it, right? He spun his spear and, like before, covered it with a layer of chakra, before sending out the razor sharp wave toward his opponent.

Mitsuki didn't even bother putting up her shield to intercept the wave, finding that dodging it was easier. he unleashed another wave, and she dodged it again. They had traded places now. With Mitsuki's back to the collapsed pass and Nagi's back to the three Konoha shinobi under his opponents command. _He's maneuvering me._ She realized, _But to what end?_ He didn't seem like the trap type. He was far too intense and straight forward for that. _Still..._

Nagi sliced his spear vertically through the air, unleashing another wave toward her, before following it up with another. He had pushed her so she had her back against the rock wall of the pass. Nagi's already feral smirk grew only wider. His arms tensed, as he released a flurry of waves that...

...All passed over Mitsuki's head. The confused kunoichi turned to look at what he was seemingly shooting at, and only too late realized why he was moving her to where she was. A considerably large chunk of rock, carved away by Nagi's waves was already falling toward her. All she managed was a slight gasp...

Nagi watched with a sense of satisfaction as the large rocks entombed his opponent. He fell forward, slightly, with exhaustion but managed a chuckle as he leaned on his spear. "Hah! How...about that!!" He took a few deep breaths before turning to look toward the shocked faces of the three men behind him.

All he managed was a smirk before the ground started rumbling.

Nagi barely managed to stay on his feet, but when he turned to look back at the pile of rubble he'd brought down on his opponent, a dull white light seemed to be shining underneath it. And then, Nagi's jaw literally dropped... the entire pile of rocks began to slowly rise into the air. "Araa...Bringing down a mountain on me..." There stood Mitsuki, one arm held high into the air, as if supporting the talisman shield that held up the entire pile of rocks he'd dropped on top of her. "That's a little unfair, don't you think? _Ookami-san_?"

Shingen snickered idly. "There's -something- unfair here. But I don't think it has anything to do with the mountain." Both Eo and Morio managed a smirk.

Nagi was struck speechless at the sight. Mitsuki, ever maintaining her serene smile, thrust the arm 'holding' the rocks up straight toward Nagi...as if giving the signal to charge.

Nagi clenched shut his eyes and prepared for the pain that would accompany being bombarded by heavy boulders. He heard them land and he felt the dust kick up around him. And then...nothing. He waited a moment more before opening his eyes to see Mitsuki canting her head to the side in a playful manner, still smiling beneath her ash-black half-mask. He was about to say something before he felt the cold bite of a kunai pressed to his neck, just above his collar.

Shingen chuckled lightly. "I'd say...that's game over."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Weee heyo all my readers... yeah the whole two of ya that read OC-based fic's ; Anyways, I've gotta say, this chapter was damnably hard to write. So much action. I'm sure some might think it was going a little fast paced, but now it's finally time to slow down some. yay for character development... The next chapter will -hopefully- be easier to write and get off the press a little sooner, but being the spontaneous writer that I am, I won't make any promises...But I will try!

Lotta Japanese in this one, But I think sprinkling it in gives flavor... especially with technique names...To me it just ruins continuity to see Kage Bunshin no Jutsu on one line, and the ice comet no jutsu on the next -- I'm not 100 sure of my Japanese, so if anyone spots any wrongs tell me :)

Regardless... here we go.

_Kawarimi no Justu_: Replacement technique (any Naruto fan should know this one :P)

_Akuma shieki no jutsu_:Demon/Devil Enslavement technique (Shieki can also mean employment, surprisingly ;)

_Kuchiyose no Jutsu_:Summoning Technique (another Naruto staple)

_Kono-nin_: What the Kumo-nin call the Konoha shinobi. I was originally gonna work it some kinda word play with a certain Japanese curse word, but decided against it.

_Shinobigatana_: What the Seven Mist Swordsmen are called

_Futatsu-Shinkirou_:Literally means Two/twin Mirage.

_Odachi_: A -long- katana, sometimes called a Nodachi. It's actually supposed to be an anti-cavalry sword. Think Sepiroths sword.

_Hyaku Shuurai no jutsu_: Hundred Lightning bolts technique (Guess what this one does... ;)

_Tate_:Shield (simple :)

_Onii-san_: Anyone familiar with anime probably knows this means brother...But Mitsuki is also playing on the word _Oni_ which means devil, which is what the three Kumo nin use for nicknames

_Doton no fuuin kai: Chiryu Shinkou_: Earth Seal Release: Earth Dragon Rising (I just love Mitsuki's jutsu style )

_Tsuchi shouheki no jutsu_: Soil/earth Barrier technique

_Nagareboshi no jutsu_: Falling Star technique

_Ookami_: Wolf

_Hime-sama_: Princess

I still haven't figured out a good name for Nagi's spear... -- Will hafta give it more thought. Anyways... Till next time folks! -- KW


	5. Intermission 1: Memories

"You can start whenever you're ready captain..." It was a light voice, serene, yet sure...

"Jikoku Gyakuten No Jutsu..." This time it was a deeper voice, masculine...and muffled by something like a mask...

--

_A hellish scene..._

_But it's one I'm all too familiar with._

_The details have faded with time and yet..._

_the feeling of the flames is still all too real..._

___I don't remember much of my life before this fire..._

___Or maybe... there just isn't much to remember..._

___Either way... it all changed for me here..._

___At this time..._

___In this place..._

_--_

"What -is- this...?" It was the light voice yet again. She sounded almost... shocked.

"It must be a particularly strong memory...flooding out like this..." Now it was the masculine voice again...It seemed like it lacked emotion.

_--_

___All I remember is the unending heat..._

___The endless shifting colors... _

___of red..._

___and orange..._

___and yellow..._

___And the cries of people around me... _

___some dying... others wishing to be dead..._

_____At that time... I felt empty._

_____I realized that I had accepted death..._

_____For me there was no longer a need to feel._

___--_

"...!" It was soft, but audible... A soft gasp from an even softer voice.

"Forgive me commander...No matter how much I push... this is the only one that shows up..." The emotionless one again... muffled by that mask. For some reason... His voice is irritating.

"No... It's alright... Continue with this one..."

___--_

_____And then he appeared in front of me..._

_____A greedy smile, one that only a winner can possess..._

_______And then that which was empty...was filled with anger..._

_______Why was I angry? Was it because he was enjoying our pain?_

_______Or was it...that I didn't want him... anyone... in that situation_

_______to be a winner...?_

_____--_

"That's..." She didn't finish her sentence. Whatever she thought caused her to hesitate. For some reason he is glad she didn't finish that thought.

_____--_

_______I don't really remember..._

_______In fact I don't remember much after that either..._

_______I just remember being angry... and having a sword..._

_______I don't even remember when my arm was cut off..._

_______I just remember being angry... and that's all..._

_________And my next memories... are all of barred doors and chains..._

_______--_

"The memory ends there..." It was that irritatingly calm voice again. "It seems this is all we can access in his unconscious. To go any farther will require his own aid."

There was a light sigh. "So it seems. Oh well... It was a long shot at best." A long pause followed.

"We'll leave him be for now." Her voice lost that slight undertone of softness and returned to being both serene and sure. "Thank you for your work captain. Get some rest. You and your ANBU squad can take tomorrows patrol shift."

"Understood..."

Both the soothing voice and the irritating one vanish...and he can finally rest.


	6. Chapter 5, Part 1: Interactions

He groaned lightly as he emerged out of his tent. It was little different than any of the other tents scattered around the fortified encampment... The only real difference was that it was larger than most. _The benefits of rank eh?_ He chuckled to himself lightly.

"C'mon Shingen... It's too damn early for yer creepy laughin..." The voice came off from his left. Indeed it was early. It was light out, but the sun had yet to peek over the horizon. The mist of night still clung to the forest floor.

"Perhaps... But not for your complaining, yes? Yamano-san?" Shingen put on his best smirk before facing the older man. It was a habit he had developed when he was younger. The shinobi world was filled to overflow with seriousness. It was cold. It was hard.

_Kind of like the bed I sleep in..._ He grouched privately. Back on topic...Shingen's laid back and sometimes sarcastic nature as a child had eventually turned him into what he was now. A laid back, sometimes sarcastic man who took pleasure out of riling people. After all... if they got annoyed... it meant they were still alive.

He knew the weak points of all his friends... with the sole exception of the one he'd known longer than any. Whereas Morio, who was naturally rough around the edges, was easily annoyed at politeness, The more suave and introversive Eo was easily annoyed when ignored.

However, there was one person whose weakness he had yet to uncover. They'd been in the same academy class, the same Genin team, the same Chuunin team, and they were even on the same Jounin unit, even if she was his superior. That's right. He'd known Mitsuki ever since he started toward his career as a shinobi.

Maybe it was because she'd been around him for so long or, more likely, she was simply a natural Buddha, but he'd never once been able to crack those serene features of hers. It had frustrated him to no end as Genin. He idly chuckled, thinking that he'd only gotten worse with age, and it was probably Mitsuki's fault.

Morio harumphed. Of all the shinobi he'd ever served with... Shingen was one of the most difficult to understand. He raised his metallic cup up, waving towards the fox-faced shinobi. "Call me Yamano-san again an' I'll empty this mug o' coffee all over that pretty lil kimono of yours."

"It'd be a waste of good coffee..." Shingen yawned off-handedly as he sat down on a log next to the fire.

Morio simply harumphed again... not liking the fact that his threat was so easily brushed off. He sighed to himself, giving up. "It takes too much damn energy to argue with you in the mornin..." He reached down and picked up a thermos that had been kept near the fire, and tossed it toward Shingen.

Although many people often doubted it, saying he looked entirely unreliable, Shingen was very adept in the way of the shinobi. He didn't even pause in rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he caught the thermos. "What's for breakfast?"

"Same thing that was for dinner last night..." Morio grumbled off handedly, bringing the mug of coffee to his lips. "In other words... Hell if I know..."

Shingen chuckled lightly, pouring some of thick soup-like substance into a cup. He'd just finished his first sip when a tan and black mass decided to collapse on the ground next to his log. He eyed the dog oddly for a moment... before realizing it had gone to sleep. "Guess Sui-min isn't the morning type either..."

Morio snorted. "That mutt doesn't care what time it is... It just sleeps when ever and where ever the hell it pleases..." He paused a moment, looking over Shingens shoulder. "In contrast..." He half-heartedly pointed his mug toward the figure emerging from behind a couple tents over.

Wide awake and looking as if he was cooling down after a workout, Eo stepped lightly over toward the two other shinobi.

"...this guy doesn't know the meaning of the word rest." Morio commented off-handedly.

Eo, for once, wasn't baited by Morio's words... Shingen was impressed... if only for a single second. "Say what you want old man...I prefer the mornings. All that extra sleep and you'll just melt away..."

Morio's smirk said it well enough, the older man didn't believe the dog user for a second.

"Anyway... have either of you seen the captain?" He barely paused to see if the two men reacted. "I heard she had the ANBU interrogate that Ookami guy we captured a couple days ago." He stretched out with a light groan... "I was wondering if she found anything worth while." He paused a moment more, seeing that neither Shingen nor Morio had even moved. "Guess not... Oh well... I'll go find her myself." He moved off before either of his compatriots could respond. "Don't sleep too much!" He called back over his shoulder, chuckling at the two men sitting by the fire.

Shingen finally turned his gaze from Eo's back, and faced Morio. The older man only blinked... "He... doesn't know... does he?" Morio said carefully, keeping his gaze locked on Shingen.

Shingen kept his own gaze locked on Morio, if only for a few seconds, before breaking into his trademark fox-like grin. "Well... everyone has to learn sooner or later. You did. Hell, even I did..."

Morio couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "You... are a cold and cruel man Shingen."

Shingen simply lifted the cup of soup to his lips and drank.

--

Eo hummed to himself. It was true, he loved the mornings. Back in Konoha, none of his packmates were ever up as early as he was. No one bothered him in the mornings, so he eventually got used to liking them.

Unlike his teammates, he tended to be proactive. Instead of waiting for something, why not just go and get it?

He sighed... He didn't think his way of thinking was wrong, but it was hard, at times, because he felt like the only one who thought that way. He closed his eyes and smirked as he walked. No... It wouldn't do to get tired now. And Shingen would never let him hear the end of it, if he showed the cynical stratagist such a tired face.

He was the Line Commander. In non-Shinobi language, that meant he was the newbie on Ieyaru Mitsuki's northeastern boarder defense line command team. Still, out here on boarder, he held considerable power and responsibility... something his enigmatic commander never let him forget.

His captain was most definitely an enigma to the young Inuzuka. She didn't come from any noteable shinobi lineage... this he knew to be fact. He'd actually heard that her parents were priests. But either way, she had become a fairly infamous shinobi, along with the likes of the Copy Ninja Hatake Kakashi.

For that, he respected her. She made her way out of nothing. So he was actually fairly honored when he recieved his assignment to report to her for duty. But when he had actually met her, he had been surprised to say the least. She seemed to follow no pattern that he could read. Sometimes she was late, other times she wasn't. She always used the exact same lame excuse every time even though everyone knew she was lying, she loved to tease people around her, and never seemed to take anything seriously.

Of course, he'd been on far too many missions with her to doubt her skill. Somehow she managed to be both that enigmatic woman he couldn't understand, and a deadly efficient kunoichi.

He'd heard rumors that the Copy Ninja was also something of an odd ball. Eo was beginning to develope a theory where the more skill a shinobi has, the more odd their character becomes. He feared for his future...

"Well... whatever..." She was, at the very least, an effective captain. The very fact that she was put in charge of a highly sensitive and voltile area like the northeastern board of Fire Country proved that Sandaime-sama had faith in her.

"Ahh there it is..." He spotted her tent, which lay near the center of the encampment. It was rather hard to miss, truth be told, as it was one of the largest tents in the encampment. He came to the heavy flap that was the door to the large tent. "Captain? Are you in there?" He reached for the tent flap and pulled it back...

He blinked once... twice... a third time... before slowly, carefully, lowering the flap back down. She was most definitely in there... otherwise his traitorous cheeks wouldn't be flareing red at the moment.

"Araa?" The voice was sleepy, as if the person had barely crawled out of bed. Eo heard a yawn, and it was closer than it had been before...

_Aww dammit... move! Move! Move damn you! _That sight would not leave his eyes. Yes, that heavenly, yet forbidden sight. His captain, in her sleep induced fog, had only been partially dressed.

Her keikogi hadn't been bound, so it had hung open, barely convering the curves of her chest. Needless to say, her fishnet shirt hadn't done much to stop the image in his head. Long white legs that came out from under the crimson cloth of her keikogi...her slightly disheaveled black hair, reaching down to her waist... and... and...

_Dear gods... why must you do this to me?_ Sure... he'd realized his captain was a beautiful woman...but Kunoichi, particularly those of his captains level, were known to prize themselves as kunoichi first, and women second. That didn't stop his imagination from running rampant and causing his legs to freeze up. And he realized why too. If his captain opened up the flap, which by the looks of those white fingers he could see grasping the flap would happen any second now, he'd get another glimpse...

_After all..._ he reasoned, having given up the struggle to move... _ I am a guy too._ He caught his breath as the flap moved ever upwards... Up... Up...

"Huh?" Eo's shoulders drooped, as standing before him was his fully dressed captain. After a moment, a sudden shiver ran down his spine...

"Araa...So it's Eo..."

She was smiling at him like usual... So why?

"You look disappointed... crushed even... What happened?"

Her voice was the same as always... So why?

"Did you want to see me for something?"

So why... did he have this faint sense of impending doom...

--

Neither Shingen, nor Morio so much as flinched during their breakfast. Even when a bloodcurtling scream woke the rest of the encampment, they simply continued their breakfast.

Shingen finished the last of the rather tasteless soup and sighed. Tasteless though it was, as long as it sat well in his stomach, he wouldn't complain. "Thank you for the meal..." he annouced... to no one in particular.

He sat back and thought for a moment. Yes, he'd like to amend what he'd thought earlier. Mitsuki did indeed have a weakness. She wasn't a morning person. Unlike himself, or Morio, who only took a few minutes to truly wake up in the morning, Mitsuki had been known to walk around in a sleep induced daze for an hour before returning fully to the land of the living.

That, combined with a fact he'd known since his very first mission outside of Konoha's walls with her, made for a major weakness. She...Mitsuki is... very picky about -how- she sleeps. And he, as a male, even as a genin, had been infinitely tortured by this quirk in her nature. From the sound of it, Shingen thought with a sigh, Eo found that out first hand.

Yes Mitsuki had a weakness... But it wasn't a weakness that he, or any man for the matter, could act upon.

So in the end, Shingen simply resigned himself to the fact that Ieyaru Mitsuki had no weaknesses... "Morio... Is there any more coffee left?"

--

Haha! A break from all the action finally! This is actually part one of chapter 5, I decided to split them up because the tone of the sections changes radically... thats why this is Chapter 5-1 and Chapter 5-2 follows it Confusing? Mebbe. Do I care? YES... I LOVE IT!! erm...

Ahh yes... I haven't mentioned it until now but I do have a running gag with Eo's dog, Sui-min. The word 'Suimin' is actually japanese for sleep.

Also, since I wanted to keep the interlude chapter free of A/N's I'll just throw this in here

_Jikoku Gyakuten No Jutsu_: Time Reversal Technique

There is actually a Naruto filler episode where ANBU use a hypnosis technique on Naruto in order to get info outta him. I don't remember it's name, but that was the basis for the idea of this technique.


	7. Chapter 5, Part 2: Negotiation

Never in the admittedly short time he'd come to know Inuzuka Eo, had he seen the kid so cowed down. If he hadn't had a similar experience back when he'd first joined Mitsuki's team, Morio would have been laughing like crazy at the young Inuzuka.

It didn't take any more than a passing glance from her to send the kid hiding behind the largest object he could find. Morio swallowed a chuckle, somehow he knew he'd bring his young captains feminine wrath down on him if he did.

"So?" Shingens voice broke the silence. The four of them were standing inside the operations tent, another of the larger tents in the encampment. Mitsuki was busily examining the large map sprawled out on the table. Shingen was bordly leaning against the table, watching his superior. Morio was sitting in a chair off to the side... and Eo was sitting even farther back from him.

"Mmm?" Mitsuki blankly glanced up at the brown haired shinobi and blinked.

He gave her a half lidded glare. "Don't 'Mmm?' me _Hime-sama_. What are we going to do from here?"

Morio sighed. "If we just attacked that bastard Raikage's encampment and teach em a lesson, this whole thing might just get swept under the rug..."

Mitsuki sighed and stood straight, crossing her arms under her chest. "That may be Morio... But Sandaime-sama would never authorize a full scale attack on another country, much less an invasion."

The older shinobi sighed. "I guess theres plenty o' problems with bein too soft hearted too eh?"

"I'd rather be too soft-hearted, then not soft-hearted enough..." She said, returning to her previous Buddha-like smile. Morio grumbled lightly...He'd never entirely understand how these Konoha shinobi thought.

"I hate having to repeat myself..." Shingens voice interuptted them before they could proceed any further. "But... So?"

"So...for now we'll continue to do what we have been doing... Defending the boarder." That was their commanders descision, so thats how it went. "Our guest should also be up and about by now... He's got a pretty strong will... The interrogation jutsu's we used wouldn't work on him when he was unconscious..."

"And they will when he -is- conscious?" Eo dared to pipe up.

"I think they will... when he agree's to it." Mitsuki responded easily, not letting her gaze travel over to the Inuzuka. Wether or not that meant he was forgiven, he dare not risk to ask.

"And how are you going to manage -that- _Hime-sama_..." Shingen was tapping his fan into his gloved hand again. She smiled at him lightly. She had known him for so long that she knew he wasn't doubting her, he was just curious...

"By giving him the one thing he desires more than anything else..." She turned with a secretive smile, and left the three men to their confused looks.

--

"Ahh... Commander!"

The words greeted Mitsuki as she entered the small tent, flanked closely by the remaining three Garuda. "Good Work, Hirochi... How is he?"

In a manner not unlike his brother Shingen, he gave a squinted smirk and sighed. "He's just as you see him..."

To that, Mitsuki turned to the large iron cage, and within it the man sitting bound to a chair, seemingly asleep. She crossed her arms slightly and sighed. "You can open your eyes now...I know you're awake..."

Hirochi blinked, looking from his commander to the cage. And there, even in the darkness of the tent, he could see a smirk on the captives face. He raised his head slightly, just enough so that Hirochi could see his yellow eyes, eyes that almost seemed to glow in the darkness... Even as a jounin, Hirochi would have to say, that this person was not someone he wanted to fight.

"Well...damn..."His voice was raspy, probably from being unused for so long. "I hafta say... whoever does your knots is pretty good..." As if to show the point, he strained against the ropes that held his hands and legs to the chair he was sitting on.

"Well thank you. It's a good skill for a girl to have... to know how to tie knots..." Mitsuki smiled easily toward the smirking figure. "I do hope your comfortable in there..."

So this was the game the girl wanted to play was it? Well that was fine by him. It was a game he was good at. "Yeah... these ropes are a big improvement over the chains I had before. The food service here sucks though."

Mitsuki smiled a moment, letting her eyes close. She opened one and looked at their captive. "I'll see what I can do. But the waiter won't know which table to bring it to, unless I have a name to give him..."

He paused a moment..._Damn... she -is- good. _"Tch!" He made a disagreeable sound. He'd fallen right into that one. "Nagi... Azai Nagi."

"Nagi-san it is..." She brought her hands together in a single clap. "Now the waiter won't mistakenly give the food to some wild wolf instead of you..." Ah! He flinched. It was slight. But she saw it. She was actually enjoying herself.

Shingen sighed. And people called -him- troublesome...Mitsuki could be downright scary. He coughed slightly. "_Hime-sama..."_

"Hmm?" She let her sea-green gaze drift over to Shingen and, after a moment, slapped the bottom of her fist into the palm of her other hand. "Ahh right, right." Shingen could only sigh.

But Nagi apparently beat her to it. "So...what does this _Hime_ want with me?" His eyes narrowed slightly, focusing in on her.

To his narrowed eyes, she only smiled. "Nothing at all..."

That one even caught Shingen off guard...Morio noticed, standing near the entrance.

"Nothing... at all?" Apparently Nagi was caught off guard as well.

"That's right. Nothing..." She smiled and turned, heading for the doorway.

Shingen blinked... He usually had a perfect grasp of the situation. If something caught -him- off guard, then it really did come out of no where... What was she doing?

"W-wait..." It was Nagi's voice. Mitsuki stopped just slightly in front of Morio. That's why he realized what was going on, even before Shingen. He was the only one who saw the smile spread ever so slightly on Mitsuki's lips... the instant Nagi spoke. She was playing him. And more over, Morio noticed, it was working. "That's all?!"

Mitsuki canted her head to the side and, with her eyes closed, answered back. "What do you mean?"

Eo was about to say something. Even if she was his captain, all she was doing was toying with the captives feelings. He didn't think someone he respected would do such a thing! However, a hand reached out to stop him before he started. Eo followed the hand back up to Shingens face who, for once, wasn't in his fox-faced mode. His narrowed eyes were watching the situation carefully.

"What the hell... did you come here for then?" In contrast to his earlier persona, Hirochi noticed, he was scowling now. He was angry. And the sound of his limbs straining against the ropes was more than enough proof of that.

"Why that's obvious..." Mitsuki still hadn't turned to face him. She remained as she was before, her back to him, her head canted slightly to the side, her eyes closed. It was a lax, playful posture, Morio realized... one intended to lure an opponent in. Which is precisely what she was doing. "I wanted to see how you react."

"..." He was silent. But his eyes spoke volumes. He was angry. So angry, Shingen thought he might snap the ropes that bound him, rip the cage apart, and attack Mitsuki. She hadn't just insulted him. She had insulted his pride.

Nagi's head lowered slightly. "Heh...Here I'd heard Konoha was full o' lofty ideals of peace." His head snapped back up to glare at Mitsuki's back. "But your no fucking different than those bastards that put this chain on my neck in the first place!!"

Mitsuki didn't move. The reason she wasn't looking at him was that she didn't believe she could lie to him, if she saw the way he was looking at her right now. Inwardly she sighed. It was the lowest trick she could think of... but it was nessessary in this situation.

It came to her, after she saw the difference between the spearman she fought at the border, and reckless kid she'd seen in his memory. There was one... and only one real difference between them. Pride. Pride was all he had to support himself, even as a slave. But... in order to get to his true feelings she had to step on that pride. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"You pass..." She spun on heel to face him, with her buddha-like smile on her face.

Full force anger was replaced by anger mixed with confusion now, that much was evident in his face. "What... do you mean?"

"I am Mitsuki... Ieyaru Mitsuki." She said proudly. Only to bow her head immediately afterwards. "I truly am sorry for what I said..." Shingen realized what she was doing. By showing her own pride, and then swallowing it to apologize...It makes the apology all the more real... "But I needed to make sure about you... before I could ask you what I really wanted..." Her voice had gone soft...wait... Where had Nagi heard that voice before?

"What... do you mean 'what you really wanted'...?" The wariness in his voice was obvious, even to Eo.

Mitsuki moved all the way to stand directly infront of the cage. "I needed to make sure you didn't have any kind of loyalty to _Kumo_. That way, I can ask you cooperate with us, and be sure you aren't lying to us."

"Tch..." -She- was speaking to -him- about lying. The nerve. But somehow... he just couldn't muster the anger he had before. He suddenly felt drained. So he relied on another feeling in his heart. "It's not like it matters anyway..."

Now it was Mitsuki's turn to blink in confusion. "Explain yourself..."

The twisted smirk he gave her now, held none of his previous gusto. "It's a five day trek from the boarder to Kumogakure. It's been little over three. As soon as those guys get back to the Raikage, he'll activate this collar... and then I won't have to worry about a damn thing."

Mitsuki paused. That memory... his memory... flashing through her mind.

_I realized... I had accepted death._

She crossed her arms under chest, and took another deep breath. "So... does that mean you'll help us... if we take that collar off?"

There was a flash of -something- in his eyes. Yearning? Hope? Whatever it was, it was instantly crushed and shoved away. "Don't be stupid. Even the best seal users in Kumogakure don't have a way to undo the _Seichuu no Fuuin_."

She let a small smile play over her lips. "Hirochi... Open the cage..."

"Huh?" He, like the other three Garuda, had taken a step back from the negotiations to allow Mitsuki room to work. Suddenly being called out like that certainly broke the reverie. "B-but commander...!"

"There is no need to worry. I tied those knots. He isn't going anywhere." Reluctantly... Hirochi moved toward the door and quickly unlocked it. Stepping lightly, Mitsuki entered the cage and examined the collar.

"H-hey... what are you doing?" Her proximity must have stirred up a bit of energy in him, Shingen realized... his quirky nature shining through even in this serious atmosphere.

"Be still..." It was a soft command... but a command none the less. Like Hirochi, he reluctantly agreed. She ran her finger across the blackened metal, pausing only a moment where the inscription for wolf was carved into the collar, just under the jugular. There were burn marks on his neck. She sighed lightly. Some people truly took things too far.

"I see..." She said finally, after a time. "The seal was inlaid into the metal while it was still red hot. And the collar was then bent into shape around the wearers neck..."

Morio sucked in air sharply... "But that means..."

"The collar had to have gone onto his neck while it was still red-hot. Thats the only way to complete the seal..." Mitsuki finished lamely. She covertly cast a glance toward Nagi's eyes... shadowed as they were. That couldn't have been an experience that was easily forgotten. That cemented her decision. "Nagi-san... whatever you do... do not move."

he cast a surprised glance up at her as she moved behind him. "Be still..." She repeated the soft command once again, before placing one hand on either side of Nagi's neck, resting them on the collar. "W-wait... if you put chakra into the collar it'll..."

"Constrict... I know..." The calmness of her voice surprised him...

"But..."

His words were cut off by her own... "Nagi-san... can you trust me?"

His sentence stopped mid-sound. His thoughts paused at that moment. For a moment he paused, before his shoulders drooped. He took a deep breath, and released it slowly. "Why not?" His words were cynical, but she felt his meaning wasn't. "It's not like I've got anything to lose..."

She realized it there. He was going to trust her. But he held no hope of her actually succeeding. "Don't say that..."She paused herself, closing her eyes, remembering the sight of her hero falling down lifelessly on Gamabunta's back. "As long as you have your life...Don't ever say that..."

And so she closed her eyes and began to concentrate.

She was Konoha's Seal Mistress after all. Some had even said her work with seals had even surpassed the Yondaime's... But she knew that wasn't true. She had no seal to make... that could defeat something like the Kyuubi-No-Kitsune.

She took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. From there she began to breath in focused intervals. She was Konoha's Seal Mistress... but that was only because she realized the truth that most people pass over when making seals.

To the naked eye... seals are complex networks of chakra. Wether they are done as handseals, or drawn on paper, seals are simply networks of chakra that form shapes.

The truth of it though, is that seals are actually incredibly simple. They are incredibly simple if one looks beyond the complex weaving of the strands of chakra and looks into the core of the seal. The core of the seal is place that defines it's meaning. As long as you can master that...almost any seal becomes ridiculously easy to make, and chakra becomes more like water than clay... able to take on any shape required of it.

That was the secret of Konoha's Seal Mistress. With her breathing regulated, and both the network and the core of the _Seichuu no Fuuin_ memorized, all she had to do was form a shell between the collar and the seal. The seal reacts to chakra and shrinks whatever it is placed on. But if she cuts off the seal from the object it is placed on, it becomes harmless. With the shell in place, she can begin to slowly erase the seals pathways, and eventually the core itself.

He wasn't sure how much time passed. Everything seemed to slow down as she began to work on the collar. She was definitely channeling chakra... and yet the collar wasn't shrinking... Just who in the nine hells was she?

After what seemed like an almost endless amount of time, Mitsuki gave an audible sigh and retracted her hands from the collar. He wasn't disappointed... no he had no hope of it in the first place. "See?" He said the word spitefully... almost as if it was the most hated word in existance...

Mitsuki smiled lightly and walked around in front of him. "You know... I've thought this for a while now... Nagi-san... You really have a twisted personality..." He was about to respond when she pressed a finger over his lips to silence him. She withdrew the finger, and as she did so, snapped her fingers.

Nagi's eyes went wide... The almost thunderous crack couldn't possibly have resulted from her snapping her fingers like that. And then he felt it... the weight on his neck... the weight he had become all too accustomed to...fell away...

With a loud clang, the two halves of the collar that had split directly down the center, right along the inscription for Ookami, fell to the floor. But Nagi had no reaction to make.

Shock couldn't even begin to describe the look on the wild warriors face. But it was a look that Mitsuki was immensely pleased to see. To him... she had done the impossible. She reached around him and deftly untied the bonds that held him to the chair. "I'll untie you... but you'll still have stay in here a little while longer..." he didn't move... even as the ropes fell away.

She got up and moved outside of the cage, nodding to Hirochi to lock it back up. "That... was my gesture of good faith. Nagi-san... wether you decide to help me or not... is now entirely up to you..."

She took a deep breath and began to usher everyone out the entrance... Before leaving, however, she turned back to him. "I'll come back tomorrow to hear your answer."

--

Bang-arang! I live... somehow...I've had this idea stewing inside my head for so friggin long. I finally got fed up with it and blew my whimsicle writers nature right out the door to get it done...

I've got more ideas in the cooker for where to go from here... But just like with this chapter... I won't make any concrete promises... I work best without pressure people!!

On another note... I was rather proud of my explaination of seals...I hope it didn't confuse anyone ;

Not much Japanese in this one surprisingly. Just one in fact

_Seichuu No Fuuin_: Seal of Restriction

Well then... until next time!

-KW


	8. Chapter 6: Information

"Reporting!"

The sound of a feminine voice brought Shingens eyes up from his paper work. There really wasn't any reason for him to stop. He had known for a while now that the report would be coming and, frankly, the one doing the reporting wasn't even technically one of his subordinates. In all truth Shingen simply stopped working because the disturbance was about as good an excuse to take a break as he was going to get. He took a moment to examine said reporter.

Her shoulder length, curly black hair fell neatly just passed her shoulders. She would have been indistinguishable from any of the numerous other Chuunin and Jounin in the encampment if it weren't for one single exception. She had replaced the navy colored outfit that had been standard issue among shinobi of the leaf, favoring instead a dark crimson colored cloth. After a moment of decision, Shingen decided that it suited her, as it was only a few shades darker than her crimson colored eyes.

"Captain.." Yuuhi Kurenai shifted uncomfortably on one knee. However, Mitsuki did not even seem to register the Chuunin's presence. "Um... Ieyaru-sama?" Inwardly she sighed. She had always done everything by the book, and had been praised for it. She was the only active kunoichi from her academy year, having outlasted the scant few others. However, since she had been assigned to the NED-L, she had to deal with some extremely odd commanders. There was no denying their skill, but Kurenai was having trouble getting used to the relaxed nature with which those commanders ran their operation. She allowed herself an outward sigh, before tossing Shingen a hesitant look.

Shingen quelled the need to chuckle. He knew, as Kurenai did, exactly what needed to be done to get Mitsuki's attention. However, the straight-forward nature and by-the-book mentality that Kurenai, and many Chuunin adheared to, stood in the way of what needed to be done. Especially so in the case of Yuuhi Kurenai, whom Shingen had always pegged as the serious-type. After all, Mitsuki had always made it a point to 'breed out' that easily predictable line of thought in her subordinates. He put on his best sympathetic look before returning to his own paper work.

Kurenai gave a sigh of defeat, before swallowing in preparation. "Um... Mitsuki..._senpai_...."

"Ara-saa...."Mitsuki turned, blinking as if she hadn't actually registered Kurenai's position long before the girl had even entered the tent. "So it's Kurenai-chan...How are you?"

The overtly friendly nature of the greeting caused the normally reserved chuunin to blush slightly. "I'm fine, um... Senpai. I have the report you requested..."

Mitsuki clapped her hands together exagerattedly. "Good good..." She took the report and idly slipped it onto the desk before reaching up to massage her shoulders.

"Um...Senpai?"

Mitsuki canted her head to the side with a small smile on her face. "Hmm?"

"Well? Aren't you going to examine the report?" Kurenai looked somewhat unsure at her commander.

"Hmm? Well... No." Mitsuki allowed a small knowing smile to reveal itself on her features. Her sea-green eyes narrowed just slightly at Kurenai's confused look. "Or rather... there's really no need for me to examine a report of which I already know what it's going to say."

"You...already know what's in it?"

Mitsuki allowed her secretive smile to blossom out into her usual playful smile. "Kurenai-chan..." The Garuda leader stood, stretching in a catty manner, before motioning Kurenai to stand as well. "I think you'll be a great kunoichi one day. That's part of the reason I chose you to be under my command. But..." Mitsuki chuckled lightly, resting a hand on Kurenai's shoulder... "If you have one flaw...it's that you think in straight lines."

Kurenai blinked... "Straight lines?" What in the world did she mean by that? Shinobi had codes and rules to follow just like everyone else. They were expected to act in certain ways in certain situations. She blinked again, this time in realization... Shinobi were _expected_ to _act_ in certain ways....But that meant...

Mitsuki smiled, following the play of thoughts and emotions on the Chuunins face. "I ordered four seperate teams with no prior contact or relations to act independently and discreetly to gather information. That way I could find the patterns of the situation myself." The Jounin winked and wagged a finger at the speechless red-eyed woman. "You wanted to be a genjutsu specialist... didn't you? You need to learn to learn how to think in circles, otherwise you won't make it very far as a Chuunin... much less a Jounin." She gently turned Kurenai around and ushered her out the door. "Think about what i said... ok?"

"Yes...ma`am..." Kurenai was already lost in thought before she was out of the door.

Mitsuki gave a light sigh before turning and moving back to her seat.

"If -only- we had the man power to use four teams with no prior contact for a single mission... life would be so much easier..." Shingen was idly massaging his shoulders, watching his captain reseat herself.

"You got me, Shingen..." Mitsuki chuckled to herself, before reaching over for the report Kurenai had brought, and scanning through the pages. "It's true I only sent one team but... " She winked at her second in command with a sly smile. "It'll keep my teams on their toes at the very least..." She leafed through a few more pages and sighed. "I have a vague idea of the contents however. Think about how the _Daimyou_ of _Oka no Kuni_ must feel... having two foreign military superpowers strolling through his land with reckless abandon..."

"So that's why you sent Kurenai's team to gather information in Hill Country's capital?" To his words, Mitsuki nodded. Shingen crossed his arms with a thoughtful expression on his squinted features. "I suppose there -is- a very real chance of him caving in to Kumo's pressure...."

"Which is why I'd like to have as much information as possible, just in case..." Mitsuki finished Shingens thought with a sigh.

"Speaking of information...." Shingen trailed off assured that his point was known to Mitsuki.

"Mm.... Yes I suppose he should have gotten over his shock by now..." Mitsuki smiled. "Why don't we see how he is?"

Shingen gave a half-hearted nod, though Mitsuki knew it wasn't meant half-heartedly. "By the way,_ Hime-sama_, I didn't appreciate being kept in the dark with your little ruse yesterday..."

Mitsuki allowed herself a light chuckle. "Ahh but Shingen..." She paused and wagged a finger at him as well. "It'll keep my teams on their toes at the very least..." She parroted the words she had said only minutes prior.

Shingen gave a defeated sigh.

-----

Tetsuma idly flexed his hand, balling it into a fist, then releasing it. He did this over and over. It was the only sign of irritation on his otherwise calm visage. He held no illusions of what he was and what the people considered him to be. But, he thought to himself, it was his sometimes tyrannical methodology that had given strength to the Village Hidden in the Clouds. There would always be opposition, he knew, because it was conflict that drove the strong to become stronger. That, in itself, didn't bother him. He simply wondered why some of the strongest men in the village had to be so... eccentric...

In front of Tetsuma's desk stood a monster of a man. His huge darkly skinned body rippled with muscles, flexing even at the simple movement of bringing an arm up to brush his tan colored gottee. He was easily three or four times the size of Tetsuma, however, the Raikage was well aware that size did not equate to strength. And yet... this man had considerable power behind him as well. "There will come a day, you realize, where you won't be able to hide behind the power that your brother and that brat Yugito wield as if it were their own..."

The large black man let himself smirk in a feral manner. "You'd better hope that day comes soon Tetsu..." With that he turned and headed to the door. "Cause ya see... " He paused, turning back toward the Raikage, and laced his fingers while bringing them level with his nose, miming the posture of the seated 'Kage, "There will come a day where it jus' might be -me- wearin that damn hat." He smirked again after taunting Tetsuma. "An' you better hope you ain't around when that happens Tetsu....cause I ain't gonna be responsible for any..." He paused for dramatic effect, "...accidents between you n Killerbee..." With that he turned and ducked through the doorway.

Tetsuma let only the briefest scowl mar his face as he turned his chair to the side and leaned back. The Jinchuuriki, humans who had one of the legendary tailed-beasts sealed within them. A mistake of the the highest sort, in Tetsuma's opinion. Those -children- held no real power of their own, they merely siphoned strength from the demonic entities sealed within them. How could stolen strength be depended on? In the end, it couldn't. If it had been his predecessors second biggest mistake, creating those two Jinchuuriki... His first had been underestimating Tetsuma. Still, they never passed up a chance to become a thorn in side.

He sighed softly, seeing the shadows flicker for a moment. "It's not like you to fail... Kagato."

"My apologies, Raikage-sama." The wild-maned man kneeled at the front of the Raikages desk. Behind him, kneeling silently, were Kenzo and Koga. "The enemy was apparently lying in wait for us."

"Oh? I must give credit where credit is due. That Ieyaru woman is certainly capable..." He spoke leisurely, as if it were simply a passing thought. "I notice there is one less to your party than when you left...My insurance found it's use did it?"

"Yes sir. We were able to retreat as he held their attention."

Tetsuma nodded slowly, while reaching over to his desk. He pulled open the drawer and withdrew a small scroll. "All that is left is to insure silence...." He laid the scroll out on his desk. "That will be all for now Kagato...I will call for you when the next mission is prepared."

With a slight nod Kagato and the two shadows behind him vanished.

"And here I had such high hopes for you... _Ookami_..." He smirked and slowly undid the bindings of the scroll.

-----

He was used to being restrained... Whether it had been chains or ropes, he'd spent the greater part of a decade trapped within them. It hadn't been so bad when they had him working in the mines, but once he had become a gladiator things had become much worse. He had been allotted only a few hours a day to train, the rest of the time he spent behind chains and bars and lock and key. It was an odd sensation he realized groggily, to wake up and actually be able to move... to stretch and walk. Granted he was still inside a cage, but he considered it a step up from where he had been previously.

His yellow eyes seemed to stand out in stark contrast to the darkness of the tent they kept him in. He blinked a few times, clearing the sleep from his head, until his eyes fell to focus on the two halves of the collar that had once been around his neck. They were untouched, still where they had fallen from his neck yesterday.

He raised his hand, rubbing his neck for what felt like the millionth time. It was an odd thing to consider a luxury, and yet, actually being able to touch his own neck was a strange sensation. He had spent the greater part of his time since those Konoha shinobi had left simply sitting in one corner of the cage, his eyes locked on the two halves of the collar. In that time, he'd come to a conclusion...part of that conclusion made him sick to his stomach, and another part of that same conclusion made him more determined than ever.

_I....owe them..._

His eyes narrowed lightly.

_I owe them more than I can probably ever--..._

"Good morning.... Nagi-san..."

His thoughts were suddenly derailed by a flash of daylight and a cheerful voice as the tent flap was pulled back. Mitsuki, flanked casually by Shingen moved into the tent.

"Sleep well?" Mitsuki came to stop in front of his cage, and canted her head to the side slightly.

His gaze rose slowly, purposefully, up and toward Mitsuki. It was a focused and thoughtful gaze, and one that Mitsuki was pleased to see. It meant that what she suspected had turned out to be true. There was more to Azai Nagi than simply a wild fighter. The mask of arrogance and cynicism that he preferred to wear hid much.

"Silly question? I suppose it is...." She cheerfully answered her own question.

"Actually it isn't." He stretched casually as he stood. "I don't even remember the last time I woke up and was able to move..."

Mitsuki smiled at his even-toned answer. "Araa... it looks like you're in a better mood today."

He shrugged... "Maybe I'm just an optimist." His slightly hoarse voice drifted from the cage. "I've been doing a lot of thinking..."

"Oh? A special event is it?" Mitsuki slyly teased.

Instead of biting back at her, like Shingen had expected the warrior to do, he gave her a toothy half-smirk. "Heh... maybe it is." He paused for a single moment, before casting his gaze toward the two halves of the collar he had once worn. "I've always... thought of myself as 'captured' and not... 'enslaved.' Someone who is captured hasn't had their will... broken. Someone who has been enslaved has...."

"Given up any hope of being free." Mitsuki finished the sentence...though Shingen thought her voice sounded slightly softer than before.

He nodded. "That's why I always made sure, even if they chained me up, to strain against those bonds... to bite at the bit. To show them that they had never and would never break me."

He paused again and Mitsuki took the chance to examine him in the dim light of the tent. He was far less tense than yesterday. Back then, every muscle within his body was hardened, as if he were preparing for something. There was no trust in anything inside of him then. But today he was a vastly different type of person. His muscles were relaxed, his eyes had a faraway gleam to them. He -had- done a lot of thinking during the night, she supposed.

"But I realized something after yesterday." His real hand reached up and rubbed his neck again in a slow and almost reverent manner. "No matter how much I struggled against the bonds, no matter how threatening I appeared to those around me, I had... given up on the hope of getting rid of that collar...of being free." He bowed his head, his eyes closed for a moment.

Shingen remained quiet, content to let Mitsuki continue the conversation without him. He was well aware of the power of deception. His skill with stratagem had made him well versed in the art. That was why he was also well aware of how easy it could be, to deceive oneself. Deceiving others was a skill one learned. Deceiving oneself was a skill one had to unlearn.

"Yesterday... you said you had to step on my pride to see where my loyalties actually were...But what you stepped on was an empty pride." And then, as sudden as a gust of wind, he rose his head and gone was the introspective, faraway look in his eyes. Mitsuki quelled a smile as she saw the sharp eyes of the warrior return to him. "That's why...I want to create a new pride alongside a new 'me.'"

Mitsuki allowed herself a small satisfied smile. "I don't quite understand what you're trying to say... Nagi-san..." Of course, she did understand. And she knew that -he- knew she understood as well. But it had never been her way to be straight forward and forthright. "So, please, be clear. What is it you're trying to tell me?"

That quirky half-smirk reappeared on his features. "I don't know if I can ever repay the debt I owe you...and I don't know how useful you'll find me. However, for as long as I'm able... I want to help you."

Mitsuki smiled at his honest answer. "People are not pawns to be used or thrown away, Nagi-san." She turned and took a deep breath. "You'll need to understand that, if you're to help me." She cast a bright smile over her shoulder toward Nagi.

Nagi blinked a few moments at her estranged way of answering him. She had said so much when a simple 'thank you' or even 'very well' would have worked. But, he supposed, that kind of person was interesting in their own right. "Fine fine...." He waved a hand casually, "So what do I have to do?"

She turned back toward Shingen with a satisfied look on her face. "One 'fine' is enough..." It was supposed to come off as coarse, but somehow she doubted it would have that kind of effect on Nagi. She gave a brisk nod to Shingen, who nodded in return then left the tent. "As for what you need to do... well you've already done most of it."

"I... have?" He blinked in confusion.

She nodded. "Most people can only access a small portion of what their memory records. So they don't recall anywhere near as much as they remember. There is a jutsu that allows us to give shape to those memories..."

"Give shape to memories, huh?" He watched her as she turned back to him and nodded.

"It allows us to see what you recorded in your mind, not just what you can recall." She paused for a moment and gave a slightly troubled look. "However, the power of the jutsu is stunted by a number of flaws."

"Flaws? Like what... it can only be done on the night of a red moon or something?" Nagi's sarcasm let a smirk slip on Mitsuki's face.

"No, not... quite... so restrictive. First, access to the memory is dependent on the will of the person." She paused for a moment, wondering she should reveal what she had done two days prior. "We already tried the technique on you once, when you were unconscious... But your strong will denied us access." So she settled for a half answer.

"So that's why you asked for my help, instead of ripping the information straight outta my skull, eh?" He threw a smirk at her, to which she returned a secretive smile of her own.

"I'm sure there are shinobi who would rather have done that. I, however, prefer less...messy... methods."

"I'm ever so thankful." He gave her a deadpanned response, but her smile didn't change.

They were interrupted as Shingen re-entered the tent, followed by a man, if Nagi had guessed his build correctly. That was all he had to go on, really, since his body was covered in a stark white coat and hood, and a wooden mask shrouded his face.

"I thought you would be." Mitsuki chuckled lightly. "Now, if you would please sit down, we can begin."

Nagi shrugged. It didn't seem so complicated from his end, but he guess most of the complicated things were handled by the jutsu practicioner. He sat back down in the chair within his cell and waited for the technique to commence.

"_Jikoku Gyakuten No Jutsu_" The almost lifeless sounding words were the last thing nagi heard, before everything went dark.

-----------

And... I return...eth. I fully intend on finishing this story, even if it takes me forever. ^_^; Though the responses haven't been many, there were more than I thought there'd be, so thanks!

As for the Japanese in this one...

_Senpai: _Senior (Though this is usually used in formal places, such as school or business, it isn't used in the military)

_Daimyou:_ Feudal Japanese Lord

_Jikoku Gyakuten No Jutsu:_Time Reversal technique

Firstly, thanks to Starshipw, for finding a nasty little error. I wasn't aware Hinata was quite -THAT- young at the end of the Cloud/Leaf war. The flash back makes her seem slightly older. Either way, The time isn't extremely important, only the fact that this -is- suppose to be the first (and only as far as I know) war between the Cloud and the Leaf.

Two other things have come to my attention too. The first being that theres actually two countries to the northeast of Fire country. The original maps i've seen only show one, but a recent one from the anime shows two. However these seem to be of little importance to Naruto's storyline, so I'll just continue to call them one country.

The other thing is something a friend of mine asked after reading through my chapters. and that's the meaning of Mitsuki's "Araa." It's an idiom common to a certain stereotype often found in relaxed-type characters. For instance, Kenshin, from Rurouni Kenshin fame, uses it. It's also common to the 'big-sister' stereotype, an example being Kasumi from "Ranma 1/2." It really has no literal meaning, but it can be equivalent to saying "Oh" or "Oh my" or "my my..." or any similar such sayings.

This a/n was much longer than I intended it to be... ^_^; anyways

Till next time...

--KW


End file.
